Distributor Admits to Selling Unchecked, Misbranded Meat to NYC Food Carts

NYC food carts are a culinary phenomenon that brings together diverse flavors and a vibrant street food scene in the city. A New York-based poultry distributor that supplies these food carts has admitted to selling uninspected and misbranded products, federal prosecutors announced today.

N and M Food Wholesale Supply, Inc., along with its owners, Omar Ahmed, Halim Elsayed, and Mousa Ashraf, agreed to a consent decree that prohibits them from selling uninspected or misbranded poultry products in the future.

The company was accused of repeatedly producing and selling uninspected or misbranded poultry products since 2018. The U.S. Department of Agriculture did not properly inspect the products, and they were not labeled or packaged correctly.

The company’s actions violated the Poultry Products Inspection Act, which is a law that protects public health by requiring food providers to properly inspect, process, label, and package poultry products.

“Every individual deserves the assurance that the food they purchase is properly inspected and safe to eat,” said Paul Kiecker, the Administrator of the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “FSIS remains committed to public health and we will take swift action to protect American consumers.”

The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, claims that N and M had put up for sale over 900 pounds of misbranded poultry that had not undergone federal inspection. The company, on multiple occasions, had prepared marinated chicken kebab skewers in a processing room within their warehouse without proper federal oversight.

Federal prosecutors mentioned an instance from May 2021, when N and M procured 280 pounds of chicken leg meat, and cut and marinated it. Then they repackaged it in its original packaging before selling it as uninspected and misbranded.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “New Yorkers should be able to eat food from food carts and other retailers with the assurance that upstream wholesalers have complied with USDA safety regulations. Through this lawsuit, we are sending a message to food wholesalers that they must adhere to the law to protect public health.”

The consent decree requires N and M to pay a $10,000 fine and implement a food safety plan designed to prevent future violations of the Poultry Products Inspection Act. The company is also prohibited from selling uninspected or misbranded poultry products in the future.

If N and M violate the terms of the consent decree, they could be subject to additional fines and penalties.

Indulge in the diverse flavors and vibrant culinary scene of New York City with the tantalizing offerings from its iconic NYC food carts, where delicious street food meets the bustling energy of the Big Apple.