Karnataka suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket food licences over poisonous datura sale
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Karnataka suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket food licences over poisonous datura sale")
Karnataka suspends Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket food licences over datura sale Photograph: (Pixabay)
Karnataka's Food Safety Department suspended the food licences of Amazon, Instamart and BigBasket after finding poisonous datura fruits and seeds listed for human consumption. The regulator ordered the removal of listings and also suspended licences of suppliers selling the toxic products.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department suspended the food licences of Amazon, Instamart and BigBasket for selling poisonous datura (dhatura) fruits and seeds on their platforms under the category of edible items. This comes after the authority ordered an inquiry into the sale of datura products, as well as their online listing on these platforms. Several complaints were filed against the quick commerce giants selling the poisonous products.
In its investigation, the department found that datura fruits and seeds were being displayed for sale on various e-commerce platforms, in some cases with FSSAI licence or registration numbers, despite the products being toxic and posing a serious risk to human health if consumed. Packets containing datura fruits and seeds were found bearing food licence/registration numbers and that the products had been stored in warehouses and offered for sale or distribution through online platforms.
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Before the licences were suspended, the e-commerce giants were asked for their responses on the matter. According to the order by the department, Amazon did not submit a response, while Instamart sought additional time to submit its documents regarding the action it took. BigBasket said in its response that it had stopped the online sale of the fruits, and noted it would correct the labelling to clearly state "Not for human consumption" in the future. The food regulator then said that the responses and explanations were unsatisfactory, and said storing, selling or distributing the products as food was impermissible. It has directed concerned departments to temporarily suspend, until further orders. The suspension may be reversed only after a hearing, given that the platforms submit a response.
Karnataka food authority's crackdown
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The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) department has intensified a massive statewide crackdown on extreme food safety violations, spanning high-profile restaurants, quick-commerce platforms, and transit hubs. In past weeks, over 2,000 eateries were inspected and authorities seized hundreds of kilograms of expired or mouldy meat, fish, and vegetables from star hotels and local dhabas. A raid at a Hyperpure by Zomato warehouse uncovered unlicenced poultry, unlicenced garlic suppliers, mislabelled staples, and poorly refrigerated imports. Officials also inspected 960 student hostels. Even the government canteen at the Health Department headquarters (Arogya Soudha) was served a notice for using expired ingredients. Out of statewide samples tested for cancer-causing artificial colorants, 9 shawarma samples and 1 kebab sample were declared explicitly unsafe. Notable major restaurants like Bengaluru's Empire Hotel faced legal action after multiple kebab samples failed lab testing.
