BEIJING, July 22 -- Chinese authorities have arrested six people and are investigating 27 others after more than 230 children at a kindergarten in Gansu province were poisoned by food coloured with industrial-grade lead paint.

An official investigation released on Sunday found severe failures in oversight, food safety, and attempts to cover up the incident, including bribery and falsification of test results, The Guardian reported.

The principal of Brownstone Peixin Kindergarten in Tianshui allegedly sought to attract more enrolments by making food look more appealing using non-edible pigment bought online.

Despite clear warnings that the pigment was "not for consumption," the school's cook added it to children's meals, preferring its ...