London, Jul 14 (IANS): A female kindergarten teacher has been executed in China for poisoning 25 children, one of whom she killed, by contaminating their porridge 'in revenge' after she had a row with her colleague, a media report said.

Wang Yun (39) was arrested and later sentenced to death after she poisoned young students from the Mengmeng Pre-school Education in Jiaozuo four years ago, Daily Mail reported.

Wang had adulterated the breakfast of her colleague's pupils with sodium nitrite "in revenge after arguing with the co-worker", the local authorities said at the time, the report said.

The teacher unsuccessfully appealed her death sentence, initially handed down in September 2020 by the Jiaozuo city intermediate people's court, in Henan province.

On Thursday, the same court verified Wang's identity, escorted her to the execution ground and carried out the death sentence, a court statement said, according to state media.

Wang purchased the sodium nitrite in March 2019 after falling out with her colleague, surnamed Sun, over "student management issues", the Jiaozuo court said at the time of her arrest, Daily Mail reported.

The next morning she added some of the chemical compound - which is commonly used as a food preservative but can be toxic and possibly fatal from overexposure - into the children's "eight treasures porridge", the court ruled, according to state media.

The dish is a sweet-flavoured rice-based porridge, which is very popular in China, Daily Mail reported.

It was reported at the time that 23 children began vomiting and fainting after eating their breakfast. The police launched an investigation after Wang was accused of poisoning the students on March 27, 2019.

Authorities later found that a total of 25 children were poisoned during the incident that shocked China and triggered global headlines, Daily Mail reported.