Karnataka suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket licences over 'datura' sale
Karnataka authorities suspended food licences for Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket. Toxic datura fruits and seeds were found sold as food products on these platforms. The department ordered immediate removal of all datura listings and advertisements. Selling and distributing datura as food poses a serious public health risk. Consumption of unpurified datura can lead to coma and death in…
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department has suspended the food licences of e-commerce platforms Amazon, Instamart (Swiggy) and BigBasket due to the sale of datura fruits and seeds on their platforms. Datura, also known as Thorn Apple, is a poisonous plant from the nightshade family that can cause severe health issues or death if consumed without purification.
The department found packets of datura with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) food licence or registration numbers at e-commerce warehouses and listed for sale on the platforms. It is used for puja and traditional medicine in households, but selling it as a food product is prohibited. After meeting with the executives of the three companies, the department ordered the suspension of their food licences and the removal of all listings and advertisements offering datura for human consumption.
The suspension will remain in effect until further notice, and the department has also suspended the food licences and registrations of suppliers and sellers who supplied datura products to the platforms.
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Karnataka Suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket Licences Over ‘Datura’ Sales freepressjournal.in
