FSIS health – USDA issued a public health alert for beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop in California, Florida and Texas, citing possible Shiga toxin-producing E. coli contamination. No recall was issued because the products were no longer being sold, and restaurants stoppe
For customers who ate at The Kebab Shop in California, Florida or Texas, the warning landed with an uncomfortable possibility: the beef kofta may have been contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop restaurants in the three states. FSIS said the products may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, according to an FSIS report.
A recall was not issued. FSIS said the products are no longer being sold.
The beef kofta at the center of the alert was produced by Olympia Food Industries in Franklin Park, Illinois, in January. The products were supplied to The Kebab Shop restaurants in California, Florida and Texas, and all locations stopped selling the beef kofta products on May 18, FSIS reported.
FSIS said the potential contamination was found during an ongoing E. coli outbreak investigation in California. The California Department of Public Health and local health departments are investigating a localized outbreak of E. coli that includes nine sick people, according to the FSIS report.
Customers who consumed the beef kofta are being urged to take immediate steps. FSIS advised consumers to discard any leftover beef kofta from The Kebab Shop.
FSIS also said that anyone who ate beef kofta from any The Kebab Shop restaurant and begins developing symptoms of an E. coli infection should contact their health care provider.
For questions about food safety, FSIS directed consumers to the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or by email at MPHotline@usda.gov.
The warning also points diners to cooking temperatures meant to reduce the risk of harmful bacteria. Hot dogs and burgers made of ground beef, pork, veal or lamb should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit. FSIS said all cuts of pork should reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit as well.
E. coli, also known as Escherichia coli, is a group of bacteria that normally lives in the gut of healthy humans and animals. Under certain conditions, FSIS said some strains can be potentially deadly, causing infections in the gut, urinary tract or other parts of the body.
Common symptoms of an E. coli infection can include watery diarrhea (sometimes bloody), low fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains and fatigue. Symptoms may occur two to eight days after exposure.
The sequence of events—potential contamination identified during California’s outbreak investigation. distribution across three states. and a sales stop on May 18—left consumers with a short window to act once they learned what could have been on their plates. For those who ate the products. FSIS’s message is clear: discard what’s left. watch for symptoms. and seek medical care if they appear.
Kebab Shop beef kofta E. coli FSIS public health alert Shiga toxin-producing E. coli Olympia Food Industries Franklin Park Illinois May 18 recall not issued 888-674-6854 MPHotline@usda.gov