Food shelves ordered to destroy donated venison

State officials tested 299 samples of venison donated to food shelves across Minnesota. Seventy-six samples contained lead of varying amounts.

State Agriculture Department spokesman Mike Schommer said the state is now taking steps to to make sure the venison is not distributed to the public.

"What we're asking the food shelves to do is to destroy the remaining product," Scommer said. We're going to be working with them to collect more samples, but also to make sure that product does not get back in circulation. And, of course, any consumers that have venison from one of these food shelves, we're asking that they throw that away."

Minnesota officials began testing the donated venison after lead fragments were found in venison in North Dakota food pantries donated through a similar program in that state.