Datura
Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket in trouble over ‘poisonous’ Datura sale; Karnataka suspends food licences
Karnataka's Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) has ordered the suspension of food licences issued to Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket until further orders, after the e-commerce platforms were found to be selling poisonous Datura (Dhatura) fruits and seeds as food products.
The action was taken after the FDA found that Datura, a highly poisonous plant, was being sold on the platforms for human consumption. Some of the packets reportedly also carried FSSAI licence or registration numbers.
The FDA has directed the e-commerce platforms to immediately remove the products from their listings and advertisements and stop their sale, distribution and display as food items.
The department has also ordered the suspension of licences and registrations of vendors and establishments supplying Datura products to the online platforms. The platforms have been directed to submit compliance reports on the action taken.
The companies appeared before the authorities for a hearing on Monday. According to a report by India Today, Amazon did not submit a response, while Swiggy Instamart sought additional time and did not provide documents detailing the action taken over the listing and sale of Datura products.
BigBasket, meanwhile, informed the FDA that it had stopped selling Datura fruits and seeds and would rectify the method of sale.
The company said future listings would carry a clear "not for human consumption" warning, the report said.
Datura is a highly toxic plant and its fruits and seeds can pose serious risks if consumed.
According to Tasmania's Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Datura species are highly poisonous to humans and livestock and can also become significant agricultural weeds.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
