The Recall Desk
Agency classPublic Health AlertOur severity:HighUSDA FSIS·PHA-05242026-01·Announced 2026-05-24

Beef Kofta Products from The Kebab Shop Due to E. Coli Contamination

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop restaurant locations in California, Texas, and Florida due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination. Nine people in California have become ill.

The agency’s classification

USDA FSIS: Public Health Alert

Public Health Alert is a warning FSIS issues when there is a food-safety concern but a recall is not requested, typically because the affected product is no longer available for purchase.

This is the agency’s own classification, taken from its notice. The severity score below is our assessment, not the agency’s. How recall classes work

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The source identifies E. coli O157:H7, a high-risk pathogen known to cause serious illness including hemolytic uremic syndrome. Although 9 illnesses have been reported in California, they are limited to one location and appear to be linked to a localized outbreak. This meets the rubric criterion for high-risk pathogenic contamination with reported illness.

Plain-English summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert on May 24, 2026, regarding beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurant locations. The 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 distributed to restaurant locations in California, Texas, and Florida. The products are no longer available for purchase. A formal recall was not requested because the beef kofta was pulled from sale on May 18, 2026.

The problem was discovered during an ongoing illness outbreak investigation. FSIS and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) are investigating a localized outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7 that includes 9 sick people in California. Illness onset dates have ranged from March 27, 2026, to April 30, 2026. FSIS collected raw ground beef kofta product samples that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Whole genome sequencing results show that the beef kofta samples matched the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7.

E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps 2 to 8 days after exposure. While most people recover within a week, some develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure that is most common in children under 5 years old and older adults.

Consumers who ate beef kofta from The Kebab Shop and develop symptoms of STEC infection within 10 days of exposure should contact their health care provider. Consumers should discard any leftover beef kofta from The Kebab Shop. FSIS advises cooking all ground beef products to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, verified with a food thermometer.

The recalled product

Product
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Beef Kofta Products Served at The Kebab Shop Restaurant Locations Due to Possible E. Coli O157:H7 Contamination
Brand
Olympia Food Industries, Inc.
Manufacturer
Olympia Food Industries, Inc.
Category
Food — Ground Beef / Raw Meat Product
Hazard

Distribution

Distributed in 3 states:

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