The Great Talent Experiment School in Haiyang, a coastal city in the eastern province of Shandong, has been criticized by students and their parents over disorderly management of the school and for serving substandard food items, according to reports.

Parents told media that the private-funded school used lymphatic meat in meals, while photos provided by parents show steamed buns in the school's kitchen with mold on the surface and rotten tomatoes.

The school's canteen was managed by Yu Chunli, the younger sister of school chairman Yu Chunlin. Yu Chunli has already been replaced over the food scandal.

Haiyang authorities collected 22 food samples from the school's canteen, which will be tested this week, with results to be released next week.

The local government has set up a special team to investigate the case, including probing the school's suppliers as well as storage and food processing techniques.

The school's official website states it has been approved by the local education authority and is a full-time private school that offers kindergarten, primary and junior middle school education. It has more than 3,600 students, and 200 teaching and administrative members.