‘Datura’ lands e-commerce platforms in trouble in Karnataka: What is the plant?

The online sale of datura fruit and seeds prompted the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department to suspend the licenses of e-commerce giants Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket.

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 and stop selling or distributing the products for human consumption. The action was initiated under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

What is Datura?

Datura are highly poisonous, flowering plants known for psychoactive properties. They are also called ‘thorn apple,’ ‘jimsonweeds,’ ‘devil’s trumpets’ or ‘mad apple.’

What action has been taken by Karnataka? 

The department said that 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.

Officials also 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 action has also been extended to suppliers and sellers who provided Datura products to the e-commerce platforms.

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. Failure to comply could invite further action under the applicable laws.

How the companies responded? 

Representatives of Amazon, Swiggy Instamart, and BigBasket appeared before the authorities on August 24, 2026, 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 on Datura sales.

BigBasket said that it had stopped selling Datura and changed the manner in which the product would be sold. It also said that the labelling would be changed to clearly state that the product was “not for human consumption.” 

The department has found the responses unsatisfactory, citing potential risks to public health.

Datura poisoning: Past instances

Datura leaves in curry

In May 2026, four people in Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada district fell ill and were hospitalised after they ate curry mixed with Datura leaves. 

The people had consumed a curry mixed with Datura leaves after thinking that it had health benefits from information sourced online. 

The District Medical and Health Officer had told The Hindu that the family members consumed the curry mixed with Datura leaves after sourcing the details online.

‘Coronavirus-shaped’ Datura seeds

In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, twelve people, including five children, from Andhra Pradesh’s Alla Kottur, were taken ill after they consumed a liquor made from Datura seeds, which resembled the shape of the COVID-19 virus, after believing that it will protect them from getting infected. 

“We were informed that they had consumed Datura seeds after watching a video on social media. The seeds are toxic and will have undesirable impact on the nervous and metabolic systems,” medical officer Dr Siva Pratap had said at the time.