NEW YORK – Yin Gong Corp. and Yong Xing Wang, two businesses located in the New York City’s Chinatown, admitted in a consent decree to selling uninspected pork to retailers in the state and elsewhere, which violated the Federal Meat Inspection Act.

The US Department of Agriculture confirmed that more than 650 lbs of meat products sold by the defendants were in violation of the act, including pork dumplings and misbranded meat and meat food products. USDA compliance investigators repeatedly warned defendants about the practice and how it did not conform with the law. 

“Our inspection personnel are on the job daily, verifying that establishments are providing consumers with safe, wholesome, and properly labeled meat products,” said Paul Kiecker, USDA FSIS administrator. “We will not tolerate a disregard for consumer health and this consent decree ensures Yin Gong Corp. follows food safety laws.”

The Federal Meat Inspection Act protects the public health by imposing strict requirements on food suppliers regarding the inspection, preparation, transportation and sale of meat products. These requirements enable American consumers to have confidence that the meat they purchase and consume is wholesome and unadulterated.

Audrey Strauss, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the consent decree protects the public health by requiring defendants to adopt practices that comply with the law and to impose significant sanction if they fail to do so in the future. 

Some of the violations the defendants admitted to included selling approximately 274 lbs of non-federally inspected pork dumplings and buns during November 2019 to a grocery store in Rochester, NY. That grocery store then sold around 167 lbs of those pork products to customers. 

If the defendants violate the consent decree they are subject to additional actions including civil monetary penalties, termination of exempt status, contempt sanctions and other relief.