Karnataka suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket licences over 'datura' sale

BENGALURU: The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department has ordered the suspension of food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket until further orders after toxic datura fruits and seeds were found being sold on the platforms as food products.The dept has also ordered the platforms to immediately remove all listings and advertisements offering datura, or dhatura, for human consumption and stop its sale and distribution as a food product.Known as 'Thorn Apple', it is a poisonous medicinal plant belonging to the night shade family. Officials stated that consumption of datura, without being purified, could pose a serious public health risk leading to coma and death in extreme cases.The dept held that storing, selling or distributing the fruit and seeds as food was impermissible.The action followed complaints and inspections by food safety officials, who found packets containing datura fruits and seeds carrying FSSAI food licence or registration numbers.