Bhubaneswar, Nov 17 (IANS) More than 50 children in Orissa were hospitalised after eating stale food at a government-run centre, an official said Tuesday.

The children fell sick Monday after eating food distributed at an anganwadi, mother and child centre, in Indupur village of Rayagada district, about 320 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.

'Special food is served to children at the anganwadi twice a month to supplement the daily food intake. It seems the quality of food was not good,' admitted District Social Welfare Officer Sanghamitra Kanungo.

All the children are undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals. Medical teams were rushed to the village and 18 students whose condition deteriorated were shifted to Padmapur Hospital nearby.

'A team of doctors is treating children at the village; 18 of them were serious and are now out of danger,' she said.

'I am going to the village to probe how the bad quality food was served to the children. I will also check the quality of raw material used to prepare the food,' Kanungo said.