Beef kofta sold at Kebab Shop restaurants tied to E. coli outbreak

Key Points:

• 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 California, Florida, and Texas due to potential contamination with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
• The beef kofta, produced by Olympia Food Industries in Illinois and supplied in January, is no longer being sold as all locations stopped sales on May 18; no recall was issued since the products are off the market.
• The alert follows an ongoing E. coli outbreak investigation in California involving nine reported cases, with local health authorities actively investigating the situation.
• Consumers who have leftover beef kofta from The Kebab Shop are advised to discard it immediately and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms of E. coli infection, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
• To prevent E. coli infection, it is recommended to cook ground meats, including beef, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit; consumers with food safety questions can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline.