USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health warning because beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurants have been linked to E. coli infections.
Beef Kofta was sold on January 6, 2026, by Olympia Food Industries Inc., Franklin Park, Illinois. It is produced as a ground beef product by dba Olympia Foods and supplied to The Kebab Shop restaurants in California, Texas and Florida.
This issue was discovered as part of an ongoing outbreak investigation. FSIS, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and California local health departments are investigating a localized outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 involving nine patients in California. There are six diseases in children: Five people were hospitalized, and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths were reported. At this time, no individuals from other states have been linked to the outbreak.
As of May 24, disease onset dates were reported to be March 27, 2026, to April 30, 2026. Kabob Shop restaurants stopped selling related products on May 18.
Because the identified disease is limited to California, CDPH is leading this investigation along with FSIS. FSIS collected samples of raw ground beef kofta products that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Additional testing is underway to determine if product samples are linked to the specific outbreak strain.
FSIS is issuing this public health alert to notify consumers in California, Texas, and Florida of the outbreak.
Anyone who eats the product and develops symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention. It may take several days for symptoms to appear after exposure.
About E. coli infection
Food contaminated with E. coli neither looks bad nor smells or tastes bad.
Anyone with symptoms of an E. coli infection should tell their doctor about possible exposure to the bacteria. Specific tests are needed to diagnose infections, which can mimic other diseases.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection vary from person to person, but often include severe stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. Some patients may also have a fever. Most patients recover within 5 to 7 days. Others may develop serious or life-threatening symptoms and complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
About 5 to 10 percent of people diagnosed with E. coli infection develop a potentially life-threatening complication of kidney failure, known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include fever, abdominal pain, feeling very tired, decreased urination, small bruising or bleeding of unknown origin, and paleness.
Many people with HUS recover within a few weeks, but some suffer permanent injury or die. The condition can occur at any age, but is most common in people with compromised immune systems, such as children under 5 years of age, older adults with weakened immune systems, and people with cancer because their immune systems are immature.
People experiencing HUS symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately. People with HUS are more likely to be hospitalized because it can cause other serious and lasting problems, including high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, brain damage, and neurological problems.
