‘Datura’ sold as food online:Karnataka suspends licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket

The Karnataka government has ordered the suspension of the food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket after Dhatura fruits and seeds were found being sold on their platforms for food or human consumption. The Food Safety and Drug Administration said Dhatura is a poisonous plant and consuming its fruits or seeds can cause serious health problems. The government said allowing these products to be sold as food posed a serious risk to public health. Authorities have ordered the three platforms and other food businesses to immediately remove Dhatura listings, advertisements and promotional material meant for human consumption. The government has also strictly banned the sale or distribution of Dhatura as food. The government has also directed officials to suspend the licences and registrations of sellers and businesses supplying Dhatura products to these platforms. The government has taken action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The suspension of the platforms’ food licences will remain in place until further orders. The government will review the suspension after receiving compliance reports from the concerned companies and sellers and allowing them to explain their position.