Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, BigBasket lose food licences over Datura sales

Karnataka has cracked down on the online sale of Datura, suspending the food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket after the poisonous plant was found listed as a food product.

The action followed concerns raised by a citizen over the sale of Datura on online grocery platforms, reported Ndtv. Following the complaint, food safety officials inspected the platforms and found Datura fruits and seeds being stored in warehouses and offered for sale online.

Datura, also known as Dhatura or thorn apple, is a poisonous plant from the nightshade family. While it is used for religious purposes and in some traditional medicinal practices, consuming it can be dangerous because of its toxic compounds.