E. Coli Outbreak Tied to Los Angeles Restaurant Chain — California, Texas, and Florida Diners May Have Been Exposed

A dangerous foodborne bacteria has been traced to a popular restaurant chain, and federal officials are now urging customers in California, Texas, and Florida who ate at The Kebab Shop to be alert for signs of serious illness. On May 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alertconfirming that beef kofta products served at the restaurant chain may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O157:H7, a strain that can cause severe illness and, in some cases, life-threatening kidney failure.

The outbreak gained clarity on June 1, 2026, when whole genome sequencing by the FSIS confirmed that beef kofta samples from Olympia Food Industries, Inc. of Franklin Park, Illinois, matched the outbreak strain. The restaurant chain voluntarily stopped selling beef kofta at all of its locations on May 18, 2026 — a move that came only after customers began reporting illness.