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The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has suspended the food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket until further orders after toxic Datura fruits and seeds were found being sold online as food products.
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, also known as Dhatura, and stop selling or distributing the products for human consumption.
Datura, known as jimsonweed or devil’s trumpet, is a highly poisonous plant. It is traditionally used in religious rituals, ornamental gardening and some Ayurvedic practices. The entire plant, including its fruits and seeds, is toxic and can cause severe poisoning and death if consumed. Extremely diluted mixtures of the plant are used in Ayurvedic medicines for various purposes.
The action followed inspections by food safety officials, who found Datura fruits and seeds being stored and offered for sale through e-commerce platforms using Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) registration or licence numbers.
Officials said Datura is poisonous and that its sale or distribution as a food product poses a serious public health risk.
During inspections, officials found packets of Datura fruits and seeds carrying food registration numbers. The products were also found stored in a warehouse and listed for sale or distribution through online platforms.
The department said 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.
Representatives of the three companies appeared before the adjudicating authority on Monday, August 24, according to the Commissioner's order.
Amazon did not submit a response to the notice, while Swiggy Instamart sought more time to submit documents detailing the action it had taken after receiving the department's notice.
BigBasket told the authority that it had stopped selling Datura and changed the manner in which the product would be sold. It also said its labelling would be changed to clearly state that the product was “not for human consumption”.
The department, however, found the responses unsatisfactory, citing the poisonous nature of Datura and the potential risk to public health.
The action has also been extended to suppliers and sellers who provided Datura products to the e-commerce platforms.
Food safety authorities have ordered the suspension of their food licences and registrations under applicable food safety laws. The department has also directed the relevant State or Central licensing authorities to initiate action to cancel the registrations of the organisations or vendors concerned, subject to due legal process.
The department said separate orders would be issued after compliance reports are received and the parties concerned are given an opportunity to present their arguments. The platforms and food businesses have been directed not to sell, distribute, advertise or display Datura fruits or seeds as food or for human consumption in future.
