WASHINGTON (KONP staff) – A federal court permanently enjoined a Sunnyside, Washington, company from making and distributing adulterated juice and other products.
A federal complaint filed in November alleged that Valley Processing, along with the company’s owner, Mary Ann Bliesner, violated food regulations by distributing adulterated fruit juice products. The company formerly supplied millions of juice servings used in school lunch programs.
The complaint alleged that the defendants processed juice under grossly unsanitary conditions and distributed to the public newer juice mixed with older, potentially contaminated juice.
The complaint also alleged that Valley Processing stored grape juice concentrate that was several years old outside in covered barrels. It says samples of the old juice concentrate were found to be contaminated with filth and mold, yet defendants combined the older juice with newer lots and distributed the mixture to consumers and schools.