Karnataka suspends food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket

Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration has instructed to stop selling, distributing or displaying datura as a food product.

Karnataka suspends food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket: Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drug Administration has suspended the food licences and registrations of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket over the online sale of datura, a poisonous plant. The suspension will continue until further orders from the department.

The action followed an inspection in which officials found packets of Datura fruits and seeds carrying Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) registration or licence numbers. The products were also found stored in a warehouse and offered for sale through online platforms.

Datura, also known as Dhatura, has toxic properties. Karnataka authorities said its fruits and seeds can pose a serious risk to public health if consumed and cannot legally be sold or distributed as food.The department said datura is poisonous and consuming it can pose a serious health risk. Following its findings, the authority directed the three platforms to immediately remove all online listings and advertisements offering datura for human use.

They have also been instructed to stop selling, distributing or displaying datura as a food product. The department has sought compliance reports from the platforms and other concerned parties. Further action will be taken if the authorities find any violation of the directions.

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