The USDA FSIS issued a public health alert due to concerns that beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurant locations may be contaminated with E. coli (STEC) O157:H7. The alert was announced on May 24 after an ongoing outbreak investigation linked the products to illnesses in California. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase. The beef kofta was produced as a raw ground beef product by Olympia Food Industries, Inc., dba Olympia Foods (Est. 18743), in Franklin Park, Illinois, on January 6, 2026, and was supplied to The Kebab Shop restaurant locations in California, Texas, and Florida. The problem was discovered as part of an ongoing investigation into an illness outbreak. FSIS, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and local health departments in California are investigating a localized outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 affecting 9 people. As of May 24, 2026, illness onset dates have been reported ranging from March 27, 2026, to April 30, 2026. Because the identified illnesses are limited to California, CDPH is leading this investigation with FSIS. FSIS collected raw ground beef kofta product samples that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Further testing is ongoing to determine if the product samples are related to the specific outbreak strain. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers in California, Texas, and Florida are aware of the outbreak. The Kebab Shop stopped selling beef kofta at all of its restaurant locations on May 18, 2026. @ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-beef-kofta-products-served-kebab-shop-restaurant
