Karnataka Government Suspends Licenses of Major E-Commerce Food Sellers Over Toxic Datura

In Brief

1. Karnataka suspends food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket over Datura sale.
2. Action highlights concerns over food safety and regulation enforcement in online grocery platforms.
3. The suspension includes major e-commerce platforms operating in Karnataka.
4. The move aims to prevent sale of harmful products and enforce food safety laws.

The Karnataka Food Safety Department has suspended the food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket following investigations into the sale of Datura leaves on their platforms. Datura is a poisonous plant, and its sale as a food item raised significant safety concerns.

Authorities took this step after samples purchased from these platforms tested positive for Datura, violating food safety norms. The suspension affects the online grocery services of these major e-commerce companies operating in Karnataka.

The government emphasized its commitment to ensuring public health and strict enforcement of food safety regulations. It also notified the platforms about the suspension and warned of further legal action if such violations continue.

This decision underscores the challenges regulators face in monitoring and controlling food products sold online. It also serves as a warning to all food delivery services on maintaining rigorous quality checks.