Mass Lead Poisoning at a Kindergarten in Mainland China: Blackened Teeth, Hair Loss — Where Is the Source of the Poison?

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[People News] Recently, a case of abnormal blood lead levels among children at the Heshi Gengxin Kindergarten in Maiji District, Tianshui City, Gansu Province, has drawn public attention and concern. The incident, caused by the illegal use of additives, has puzzled many, especially after some parents took their children to Xi’an for treatment and were verbally told by Tianshui authorities that blood lead test results were "normal" — despite test results in Xi’an showing up to ten times higher lead levels. Now the urgent question remains: Where is the source of the poisoning? Was it the kindergarten’s own food preparation, or contaminated products from external sources?

Dozens of Children Show Abnormally High Lead Levels — Up to 4 Times the Limit

According to various Chinese media outlets, the kindergarten in question has about 30 children per class, totalling over 200 children. Among them, more than 40 were found with blood lead levels exceeding 100 μg/L — the upper threshold for children — with the highest exceeding 500 μg/L, over four times the standard. At least 19 children have been hospitalized for treatment.

Some affected children were first taken to local hospitals in Tianshui. On July 3, a number of parents began taking their children across provinces to seek treatment in Xi’an, Shaanxi.

By July 3, Xi’an Central Hospital’s pediatric inpatient department had admitted 19 children. On July 4, the number of families seeking treatment grew, with patients spread across Xi’an Central Hospital, Xijing Hospital, and Xi’an Children’s Hospital.

At the Occupational Disease Department of Xi’an Central Hospital, long queues of children and their parents waited to have blood drawn for testing. Due to the large crowd and limited testing machines, medical staff asked families to come in batches.

According to Upstream News, one 5-year-old girl had the highest recorded blood lead level at 528 μg/L. For reference: Children: normal level <100 μg/L; Adults: <200 μg/L; Occupational exposure limit: 400 μg/L.

One parent noted that their child had already shown abnormal lead levels last year. In May 2023, they took the child to Xi’an due to symptoms such as abdominal numbness and poor appetite.

A test report from Xi’an Children’s Hospital on May 27, 2023, showed a blood lead level of 156.6 μg/L.

Medical studies indicate that elevated blood lead levels in children can cause a range of health and neurological problems — from mild symptoms like blackened teeth, hair loss, and vomiting, to severe effects such as developmental delays, anemia, liver and kidney damage, seizures, or even brain lesions.

Stark Differences in Blood Test Results Between Cities

Many parents said that while in Xi’an for treatment, they were verbally told by officials in Tianshui that their children’s blood lead test results were normal, but were never provided with any printed or digital reports.

One parent, Mr. Liu, whose child is in the senior class at the kindergarten, said that on July 3 he received a phone call from a Tianshui government official claiming his child’s lead level was 14.028 μg/L. Yet, the next day, a report from Xi’an Central Hospital showed his child’s lead level was 290 μg/L. “I don’t know if it’s due to different testing equipment or if they’re just categorizing things differently,” he said.

Commentators in mainland China say such vast discrepancies between test results are highly suspicious. While slight differences due to testing methods or machines may be expected, drastic fluctuations in blood lead levels within a short time — sometimes normal, sometimes severely elevated — are illogical. This kind of “selectively normal” result raises concerns about possible data manipulation or sample tampering. Who made the mistake? Or is someone trying to cover up the truth and quietly resolve the issue?

Authorities have reportedly opened a criminal investigation into the kindergarten’s principal.

The kindergarten charges around 6,000 yuan per semester and is considered a relatively good private preschool in the region. It has three grade levels (small, medium, and large), with about 30 children per class and over 200 students in total. Public records show the Heshi Peixin Kindergarten was established in 2022 with a registered capital of 500,000 yuan. It operates as a full-day early education centre.

According to Upstream News, an official who travelled to Xi’an with the investigative team refused to be interviewed, saying “I don’t have time” and adding, “Please refer to official announcements.”

Where Is the Source of the Poison?

So far, the exact source of the poisoning remains unclear.

At a parents’ meeting on July 3, officials admitted for the first time that additives in two food items — “three-colour jujube rice cakes” and “corn sausage rolls” — exceeded legal limits. However, they refused to disclose the exact substances. Oddly, while these food items were pre-packaged (parents confirmed the desserts were from a supplier in Maiji District), the investigation still framed the issue as the kindergarten’s “unauthorized use of additives.”

These brightly coloured baked snacks are widely available in China and are popular with children. This raises broader concerns: Is this specific kindergarten’s food the problem, or is this a systemic issue with these types of snacks across the market?

Ironically, the Maiji District’s 2024 food safety bulletin stated that local kindergartens had a 99.6% food safety pass rate — but most samples tested were limited to rice, flour, and oil. High-risk categories like food colouring, additives, and baked goods made up less than 5% of tests.

In July 2020, a UNICEF report revealed that 31.23 million children in China had blood lead levels above the reference range — a truly alarming figure.

(Originally published by People News)