Whole genome sequencing revealed that a sample of beef kofta collected by FSIS and produced by Olympia Food Industries matched the E. coli O157:H7 strain that emerged among customers of The Kebab Shop restaurant in California.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) continues to collaborate with the California Department of Public Health and local health departments throughout the state on the outbreak investigation.
As of June 1, there were 9 confirmed cluster patients, 6 of whom were children. Two of the children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney failure and sometimes brain damage or death.
On May 24, FSIS issued a public health alert due to concerns that beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurants may have been contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7. A recall has not been requested because the product is no longer available for purchase.
Beef Kofta was sold on January 6, 2026, by Olympia Food Industries Inc., Franklin Park, Illinois. dba Produced as a ground beef product by Olympia Foods (Est. 18743) and supplied to The Kebab Shop restaurants in California, Texas and Florida.
This issue was discovered as part of an ongoing outbreak investigation. As of May 24, 2026, disease onset dates were reported to be March 27 to April 30. Because the confirmed illness is limited to California, the state Department of Health is leading the investigation along with FSIS.
FSIS collected samples of raw ground beef kofta products that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Kebab Shop will stop selling beef kofta in all of its restaurants on May 18, 2026.
