Karnataka suspends food licences of Amazon, Instamart, BigBasket over toxic fruit sales

The Karnataka Food Safety Department announced the suspension of food licences for three major e‑commerce grocery platforms – Amazon, Instamart and BigBasket. The action follows laboratory tests that identified a batch of fruit sold through the platforms as contaminated with toxins, posing a health risk to consumers.

Authorities said the contaminated fruit was listed under the category of fresh produce and was found to exceed permissible limits for harmful substances. The department issued a notice to the companies, ordering the immediate removal of the affected items from all listings and mandating a recall where necessary.

The three firms have been asked to submit a compliance report within a stipulated period, detailing the steps taken to prevent recurrence. Failure to comply could lead to further penalties, including permanent revocation of licences.

Karnataka's food regulator emphasized that the move underscores its commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring that online retailers adhere to the same safety standards as traditional brick‑and‑mortar stores.