‘Datura’ lands e-commerce platforms in trouble in Karnataka: What is the plant?
Karnataka authorities have suspended the licenses of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket for selling poisonous Datura seeds and fruits. The platforms have been ordered to remove all listings of the plant, which is illegal to sell for human consumption.
Why it matters
This highlights the regulatory challenges of monitoring third-party sellers on e-commerce platforms regarding public health and safety standards.
The online sale of datura fruit and seeds prompted the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department to suspend the licenses of e-commerce giants Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket.
According to an order issued by Food Safety Commissioner K. Srinivas, the department has also directed the three platforms to immediately remove listings and advertisements for Datura and stop selling or distributing the products for human consumption. The action was initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
Datura are highly poisonous, flowering plants known for psychoactive properties. They are also called ‘thorn apple,’ ‘jimsonweeds,’ ‘devil’s trumpets’ or ‘mad apple.’
The department said that collecting, selling or distributing Datura fruits or seeds as food was unlawful given their poisonous nature. The action has been initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.
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