In May 2026, the California Department of Public Health announced an investigation into an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to grilled beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop restaurant chain locations in Northern and Southern California. CDPH said the outbreak involves Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, also called STEC.
As of May 19, 2026, CDPH reported 9 California illnesses, 5 hospitalizations, and 2 cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Six of the nine sick people were children. No deaths have been reported.
Beef Kofta Is the Likely Source
Interviews with ill people point to grilled beef kofta served at The Kebab Shop as the likely outbreak source, and CDPH said current information suggested the implicated beef product was distributed only to The Kebab Shop. The Kebab Shop voluntarily paused sales of grilled beef kofta at all locations on May 18, 2026.
On May 24, 2026, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for the beef kofta. FSIS identified it as a raw ground beef product produced by Olympia Food Industries, Inc. (Establishment 18743) of Franklin Park, Illinois on January 6, 2026, and supplied to The Kebab Shop locations in California, Texas, and Florida. To date, illnesses have been reported only in California.
On June 1, 2026, FSIS updated the alert to report that whole genome sequencing confirmed the beef kofta samples it collected, produced at Olympia Food Industries, match the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7. This provided laboratory confirmation of the link to the illnesses.
San Diego County Cases
San Diego County reported 2 local STEC cases in people who ate at The Kebab Shop locations in the county. One person was hospitalized and later released. County health officials urged anyone who ate at The Kebab Shop between March 27 and April 30, 2026 and later developed stomach illness to seek medical care right away.
Symptoms and the HUS Risk
STEC O157:H7 can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea that often becomes bloody. Symptoms usually begin 3 to 4 days after infection, and CDPH advised anyone who developed symptoms within 10 days of eating beef kofta from The Kebab Shop to contact a health care provider.
HUS is the key complication in this outbreak. It can lead to acute kidney failure and is especially dangerous for young children. CDPH reported 2 HUS cases. Because the reported illnesses began in spring 2026, medical records and any stool test results from that time can help show what happened.
First Lawsuit Filed Against The Kebab Shop
On May 26, 2026, Ron Simon & Associates and Gomez Trial Attorneys filed the first lawsuit in this outbreak in the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, on behalf of a minor identified by the initials K.G. Ron Simon & Associates alleges that K.G. ate a beef kofta plate at The Kebab Shop and then developed diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration that quickly worsened, forcing her admission to a children’s hospital with acute kidney failure. The firm alleges K.G. underwent several life-saving treatments, spent 17 days in the hospital, and developed hemolytic uremic syndrome. Ron Simon & Associates brings claims for strict products liability, negligence including negligence per se, and breach of implied warranties.
Your Legal Rights
If you or your child got sick after eating beef kofta from The Kebab Shop before sales paused on May 18, 2026, you may have a claim. A positive stool test, medical records showing when symptoms started, and a receipt or card statement can help, but you don’t need all of them to ask us for a review.
For background on the infection itself, start with our E. coli lawyer page, and if HUS is involved our HUS lawyer page covers how those cases are handled. Every illness in this outbreak is in California, and our California food poisoning lawyer page walks through the deadlines that apply here.