Sunnyside, Washington – Mary Ann Bliesner, the former president and primary owner of the now-defunct Valley Processing Inc. (VPI) in Sunnyside, Washington, pleaded guilty this week to two misdemeanor charges related to the production and sale of adulterated fruit juice in violation of federal food safety laws. The charges stem from her company’s actions between 2012 and 2019, during which VPI sold tainted juice products, including to the National School Lunch Program, a federally funded initiative that provides meals to low-income students.
Bliesner, 83, admitted to failing to register her food processing facility with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and allowing contaminated grape juice concentrate to be sold to customers. The juice, which was improperly stored outside and exposed to the elements for years, was blended with fresh concentrate and sold under misleading labels, falsely representing it as new product.
In addition to the misdemeanor charges, Bliesner and VPI agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture of $742,139, which represents the proceeds from their illegal activities.
During an FDA inspection in 2018, investigators discovered unsanitary conditions at the Grape Road Facility, where the company stored the juice concentrate. Concrete vats containing years-old grape juice were found to be covered with bird and rodent feces, insects, mold, and other contaminants. The inspectors even documented a live rat on top of the juice concentrate. Despite the presence of these unsanitary conditions, VPI misled FDA investigators by covering up the facility’s contents and falsely claiming that no juice products were present.
VPI’s actions resulted in the distribution of potentially unsafe juice to customers, including those who supplied the National School Lunch Program. The tainted products posed a significant risk to public health, especially the children who consumed the juice.
In 2020, the U.S. government filed a civil lawsuit to prevent Bliesner and VPI from producing or distributing any food products without prior approval from the FDA. The company was subsequently shut down, and Bliesner no longer manufactures or sells juice products. VPI also reached a consent agreement in 2021, barring them from food production until they met FDA requirements.
U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington expressed strong disapproval of Bliesner’s actions, emphasizing the importance of providing safe and nutritious food to children. “School children deserve safe and nutritious food. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our children,” she stated.
The case was investigated by the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Justice will continue to hold companies and individuals accountable for endangering public health. Bliesner and VPI will face sentencing on March 26, 2025, with the court determining any penalties based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division also weighed in on the importance of safeguarding the food supply, stating, “The Department of Justice will take action whenever appropriate to ensure the individuals and companies that produce our food maintain safe facilities and tell the truth to their customers and the FDA.”
