A public health warning has been issued for beef products served at kebab shop restaurants in three states due to possible E. coli contamination.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health warning for beef kofta products served at kebab shops in California, Florida and Texas. According to the FSIS report, the products may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. A recall has not been issued because the products are no longer being sold.
Beef kofta was produced in January by Olympia Food Industries in Franklin Park, Illinois and supplied to Kebab Shop restaurants in California, Florida and Texas. According to the FSIS report, all Kebab Shop locations stopped selling beef kofta products on May 18.
The potential contamination was discovered as part of an ongoing E. coli outbreak investigation in California. The California Department of Public Health and local health departments are investigating a local outbreak of E. coli that has involved nine sick people, according to the FSIS report.
Where were beef products sold?
Beef kofta products were sold at Kebab Shop restaurants in California, Florida, and Texas.
What to do if you eat beef kofta from a kebab shop?
Remove leftover beef koftas from the kebab shop immediately.
Consumers who ate beef kofta from any Kebab Shop restaurant and developed symptoms of E. coli infection should contact their health care provider.
Consumers with food safety questions can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or email us at (email protected).
When cooking, make sure the meat reaches a certain internal temperature to kill bacteria like E. coli. Hot dogs and burgers made with ground beef, pork, veal or lamb must be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. All pieces of pork should also reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is E.coli?
Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli, is a group of bacteria that normally live in the intestines of healthy humans and animals. However, under certain conditions, some strains of E. coli can be potentially lethal, causing infections of the intestine, urinary tract, or other parts of the body.
What are the symptoms of E. coli infection?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, common E. coli infection symptoms include:
- Watery diarrhea (sometimes bloody)
- mild fever
- loss of appetite
- nausea
- vomit
- stomach pain
- Tiredness
Symptoms may appear two to eight days after exposure.