The Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a public health alert for beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop locations in the United States due to possible contamination with Escherichia coli infection O157:H7.
The alert was announced on May 24 after an ongoing outbreak investigation linked the products to illnesses in California. According to FSIS, nine people in California became sick between March 27 and April 30, 2026.
The affected beef kofta was produced by Olympia Food Industries, Inc. in Franklin Park, Illinois on January 6, 2026. The raw ground beef product was distributed to The Kebab Shop restaurant locations in California, Texas, and Florida.
FSIS said a formal recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The Kebab Shop stopped selling beef kofta at all restaurant locations on May 18.
The investigation is being led by the California Department of Public Health together with FSIS and local health authorities. Product samples collected by FSIS tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Additional testing is continuing to determine whether the samples match the outbreak strain connected to the illnesses.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially dangerous foodborne bacterium that can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in some cases kidney complications. Health officials advised consumers who ate beef kofta from The Kebab Shop and later developed symptoms to contact healthcare providers.
FSIS also advised consumers to discard any leftover beef kofta products from the restaurant chain.
The agency reminded consumers that all ground beef products should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F using a food thermometer.
The incident adds to growing attention around food safety monitoring and traceability across the wider US FMCG and protein supply chain sector, particularly as regulators increase oversight of raw meat handling and outbreak response systems.
Why it matters
Food safety alerts involving multi-state restaurant chains can quickly impact supplier relationships, brand reputation, and consumer confidence across the foodservice industry.
The case also highlights how public health investigations increasingly rely on traceability systems linking processors, distributors, and restaurant operators during outbreak investigations.
Editor’s Note: Information in this article is based on the official public health alert issued by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service on May 24, 2026.
