Consumer News
Jan 15, 2021 06:22 PM By Sean Marsala Concentrate, made from grapes like these, is one of the products in question. AFP / SAFIN HAMED
A sweet cup of juice can be a refreshing treat, but not when it’s been contaminated with dangerous chemicals. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington sided with the FDA on Friday to shut down Valley Processing, Inc. The Sunnyside, Washington company and its owner Mary Ann Bliesner were issued a permanent injunction against selling juice products with high levels of inorganic arsenic and patulin toxins in its apple and pear products. FDA investigators found “grossly unsanitary conditions” at the company’s facility, with juice concentrate contaminated with filth and mold that was stored improperly in off-site storage tanks and outdoor barrels.