India, Aug. 26 -- As the holy month of Shravan draws to a close, the traditional offering of datura has come under scrutiny after Karnataka food safety authorities barred its sale on online platforms under the food category, citing the plant's poisonous nature. After Amazon, Swiggy Instamart and BigBasket listed poisonous datura fruits and seeds under the food category, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department recently suspended their food licences in the state. The department said selling the poisonous plant as food was unlawful under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Traditionally, its flowers are offered to Lord Shiva during Shravan and are also associated with religious rituals during the festive period of Ganesh Chaturthi. However, despite its cultural and religious significance, datura is not meant for consumption and can be highly toxic if ingested. "One of the biggest concerns here is that people may assume something is safe simply because of its 'natural' labelling. But natural does not mean harmless," says Shalini Bliss, head of dietetics, PSRI Hospital. Despite the flaw on the online platforms' part, social media users also criticised those consuming it. "Who in the right mind will eat datura seeds?" one wrote, while another questioned, "Are people so dumb to consume it! It's a pooja item, tomorrow drink the deepam oil and claim it to be a toxic food item!!" Others, however, called for greater accountability. "Online marketplaces need stronger product-level screening," one user wrote....