Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in E. coli,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on May 26, 2026
The California Department of Public Health investigated an E. coli outbreak at the Kebab Shop, which led to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) public health alert for certain beef kofta products.
Several people in California have reported E. coli illnesses, which have been linked to The Kebab Shop in San Diego and other locations. However, potentially contaminated products have also been shipped to other states.
What prompted this investigation? Could this be part of the larger USDA E. coli outbreak investigation? What exactly is E. coli and how bad is it?
Here’s what we know so far about the E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop.
The California Department of Public Health have identified nine California residents infected with the same strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7. Also known as STEC. People started feeling sick starting March 27 through April 30, 2027.
Six of the illnesses involved children At least five have been hospitalized for their illness. Two developed a dangerous kidney complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome.
No deaths have been reported in connection with this E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop.
Patient interviews indicate infected individuals ate grilled beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop. At least two people became sick after eating at San Diego County The Kebab Shop locations.
In response to this news, the restaurant chain voluntarily stopped selling grilled beef kofta at all locations.
According to The Kebab Shop’s CEO, Arian Baryalai, all sales of ground beef (beef kofta) were halted nationwide on May 18, 2026 after the California Department of Public Health linked the product as a potential source of the outbreak.
Since all other products come from different supplies, Baryalai says there is “no ongoing risk.”
“As a result, there is no ongoing risk associated with this issue. All other proteins sold at TKS [The Kebab Shop] come from different suppliers and are not associated with this issues. TKS restaurants inspected as part of the CDPH’s investigation confirmed their compliance with all health and safety regulations.”
The California Department of Public Health reinforced that statement.
According to the California Department of Public Health, “the risk of exposure to this product is not ongoing at this time.”
“While the investigation is ongoing, current information suggests the implicated beef product was distributed only to The Kebab Shop. CDPH and partner agencies continue to investigate to identify the cause of the outbreak, monitor for additional ill persons, and conduct product testing.”
The USDA issued a public health alert on May 24, 2026 in response to concerns involving beef kofta products served at The Kebab Shop. The supplier has been identified as Olympia Food Industries, Inc. dba Olympia Foods, of Franklin Park, Illinois.
During their investigation, the FSIS collected raw ground beef kofta product samples. At least some of those samples tested positive for the deadly bacteria, E. coli O157:H7. Additional testing is ongoing.
The raw ground beef product associated with the E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop was produced on January 6, 2026 and supplied to The Kebab Shop restaurant locations in California, Texas, and Florida.
For now, California Department of Public Health is leading this investigation because all of the identified illnesses have been limited to California. However, FSIS “continues to keep its federal partners informed as the investigation progresses.”
An update from the USDA’s Outbreak Investigation Response page indicates that the previously reported USDA E. coli outbreak investigation has been linked to the E. coli outbreak at the Kebab Shop.
Despite potentially contaminated product also being distributed to Texas and Florida, in addition to the known California locations, no illnesses have been reported outside of California.
Due to the severity of E. coli infections, the Make Food Safe Blog will continue to follow this investigation.
Not everyone exposed to E. coli experiences the same severity of illness. The symptoms of E. coli infections can vary from mild to severe. Some people may not need medical care. While others experience life-threatening illness. Most people begin feeling sick around three to four days after exposure. However, some may begin feeling sick as early as one day or as late as 10 days or more after eating contaminated food.
Symptoms to look out for include:
Normally healthy people generally recover from E. coli infection within five to seven days. Some people, on the other hand, may experience other complications. These complications may lead to hospitalization or even death.
The elderly, young children (under five years), and those with a weakened immune system may experience more severe illnesses or develop serious complications. Complications like hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS.
This is where infections get especially dangerous!
HUS, is a rare, but serious health condition that can develop after becoming sick with toxin-producing bacteria like E. coli. At least two people have experienced this complication so far.
HUS develops when toxins rupture blood cells. These ruptured cells clog the filtering aspects of the kidney. Which can result in kidney failure and cause other downstream negative health effects.
People with HUS require hospitalization and monitoring to prevent further damage.
Symptoms to look out for include:
If you have been sick with symptoms consistent with E. coli infection and begin experiencing these HUS symptoms, get medical help right away!
If you have consumed ground beef from The Kebab Shop and experienced symptoms consistent with E. coli illness, you may be wondering what you can do to help.
Even if your symptoms are mild, it is still a good idea to report your illness to your local health department. This can help investigators get a better picture of the scope of this E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop.
They may ask you questions about your symptoms, what and where you have eaten in the past few weeks, and other supporting information. So have that information handy.
If you have been seriously affected by this outbreak, it is a good idea to get advice from an experienced E. coli lawyer.
If you believe you may be part of this E. coli outbreak at The Kebab Shop and wish to make a legal claim, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has an E. coli lawyer that can help.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has successfully won millions of dollars in products liability and food poisoning cases and they can help you too!
Call (833) 330-3663 or send an email for a free, no-obligation consultation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)