Karnataka Suspends Licences Over Datura Listings

Karnataka’s Food Safety and Drugs Administration Department suspended the food licences of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket on 24 August 2026 after Datura fruits and seeds were listed on the platforms as food items or products for human consumption. The department also ordered the suspension of food business registrations and licences of vendors and establishments supplying Datura to these online marketplaces.

Datura as a Poisonous Plant

Datura, also called Dhatura, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae. The plant contains tropane alkaloids such as atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine, which are toxic to humans and animals.

Datura poisoning can cause dry mouth, dilated pupils, rapid heartbeat, confusion, hallucinations, psychosis, loss of consciousness and death. The seeds, leaves, flowers and fruits of the plant are all considered hazardous when ingested.

Food Safety Regulation in India

Food safety in India is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which created the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. State food safety departments enforce licensing, inspection, sampling and seizure powers under the Act and related rules.

E-commerce and quick-commerce platforms that sell food items are required to ensure that listed products comply with food safety norms, labelling rules and licensing requirements. Food business operators can face suspension, cancellation or prosecution for sale of unsafe or misbranded food.

Digital Marketplaces and Compliance Duties

Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket were directed to remove all listings, digital advertisements and promotional content related to Datura. The platforms were also asked to submit compliance reports and formal undertakings to prevent future listings of the plant.

The inquiry also examined how poisonous botanical products bypassed platform quality checks and appeared with food licence details. The case involves online marketplace compliance, vendor verification and product listing controls in food retail.

Important Facts for Exams

• Datura belongs to the family Solanaceae, which also includes potato, tomato and brinjal.
• Atropine is a tropane alkaloid used in medicine in controlled doses and is toxic in uncontrolled intake.
• The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is the principal law for food regulation in India.
• State food safety departments can suspend licences and order removal of unsafe food products from sale.

Public Health and Toxicology

Datura poisoning is a recognised toxicological emergency in India and other countries where the plant grows as a weed or ornamental species. The plant has been used in traditional practices, but its ingestion remains medically dangerous because of its alkaloid content.