The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurant locations due to concerns of possible contamination with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157.
A recall was not requested because the affected products are no longer available for purchase. However, health officials are warning consumers who may have consumed the products and could still have leftovers.
The affected beef kofta was produced as a raw ground beef product by Olympia Food Industries, Inc. (Est. 18743) in Franklin Park, Illinois, on January 6, 2026, and was distributed to The Kebab Shop restaurant locations in California, Texas, and Florida.
The alert was issued as part of an ongoing outbreak investigation involving nine confirmed illnesses in California. According to health officials, illness onset dates range from March 27, 2026, to April 30, 2026.
FSIS, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and local health departments are jointly investigating the outbreak. Testing conducted by FSIS found E. coli O157 in raw ground beef kofta samples.
In an update issued on June 1, 2026, FSIS reported that whole genome sequencing results confirmed that the beef kofta samples collected during the investigation matched the outbreak strain of E. coli O157.
As a precautionary measure, The Kebab Shop voluntarily stopped serving beef kofta at all restaurant locations on May 18, 2026.
E. coli O157 is a potentially dangerous bacterium that can cause severe illness. Symptoms typically appear 2 to 8 days after exposure and may include:
In some cases, the infection can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious form of kidney failure that is most common among young children and older adults.
Consumers who ate beef kofta from any The Kebab Shop location and develop symptoms within 10 days of consumption are advised to seek medical attention immediately.
FSIS advises consumers to:
As a general food safety measure, consumers should cook all ground beef products to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) and verify the temperature using a food thermometer.
Manufacturer: Olympia Food Industries, Inc.
Location: Franklin Park, Illinois
Establishment Number: M18743 + P18743
Product Category: Raw – Non-Intact Beef Products
The investigation remains ongoing as federal and state health officials continue to monitor the outbreak and identify any additional illnesses linked to the contaminated beef kofta products.