SC Declines Plea Over Toxic Cassia Being Sold As Cinnamon In Kerala

Cassia

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a petition alleging the sale of toxic cassia in Kerala under the guise of cinnamon, which the petitioner claimed was hazardous to health.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta noted that the Kerala High Court had already issued directions to the authorities and declined to intervene further.

“We are not going to monitor all this,” the bench observed while dismissing the plea.

Allegations Of Health Risk

The petitioner’s counsel argued that cassia, which allegedly contains harmful substances such as cyanide and coumarin, was being widely sold as cinnamon and posed serious risks including cancer. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the authorities’ response, saying enforcement remained ineffective.

High Court’s Action

The Kerala High Court, in August 2024, had directed state authorities and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to carry out market surveillance to detect such practices. It also asked officials to conduct awareness drives among traders and consumers and to consider the petitioner’s representations.

The food safety commissioner had informed the high court that instructions had already been issued to state food commissioners and the FSSAI to intensify checks in the market.

Court’s Position

Upholding the high court’s approach, the Supreme Court said further monitoring was unnecessary and left the matter with the designated authorities. With this, the petition was dismissed.