Datura sold as food: Karnataka suspends licences of Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket

On Monday, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (KFSDA) suspended the food licenses and registrations of major e-commerce platforms Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket. The suspension came after inspectors discovered that these companies were selling toxic Datura fruits and seeds through their online platforms. Srinivas K, Commissioner of KFSDA, issued an order directing all three companies to immediately remove any Datura-related listings and advertisements, stop selling or distributing Datura as food, and submit written undertakings confirming they will not engage in such practices.

The order cited the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011, which prohibit the collection, sale, or distribution of Datura as food products. E-commerce platforms were given a specific timeframe to submit compliance reports detailing their actions. The crackdown follows inspections that revealed Datura fruits and seeds being stored and sold through these platforms, despite their well-documented toxicity.

Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket have all responded to the orders, with BigBasket stating it had halted Datura sales and updated product labels. The regulator expressed dissatisfaction with the companies' responses due to the potential life-threatening risks associated with consuming Datura. Datura, often used in religious rituals, is highly toxic and can cause serious poisoning if consumed.