The Minnesota Department of Agriculture alerted consumers Wednesday to avoid consuming Nick’s Pepper Beef Jerky produced by Nick’s Meats and Grocery in Hayward, after a consumer found lead shot in the jerky, according to a press release.

There are no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of the product. After receiving a complaint from a consumer, the company contacted stores that carry the pepper beef jerky and all the product has been removed from store shelves.

The pepper beef jerky in question is stamped with the lot number 134416 on the front of the package in the ingredient statement. The label includes a Minnesota mark of inspection with establishment number 921 in the lower left corner. There is also a sell-by date of Feb. 22 on the front of the package, according to the release.

Nick’s Meats and Grocery produced about 50 pounds of the pepper beef jerky at the store in Hayward.

This product was sold from the Hayward store and was at these five locations around the area:

•Trails Travel Center, 2700 E. Main Street, Albert Lea

•Hy-Vee, 2708 Bridge Ave., Albert Lea

•Hy-Vee Gas, Albert Lea

•Jim’s Superfresh, 2101 Fourth St. NW, Austin

•Ankeny’s, 1400 14th St. NW, Austin

The company notified the MDA of the complaint and is cooperating in the investigation.

Consumers are asked to return packages to the store in Hayward.

For more details about the product, call Nick’s Meats and Grocery at (507) 373-8966.