Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Aronow & Pollock Communications, Inc.
Elizabeth Mankin or Barbara King, (212) 941-1414

-- High-Quality Broccoli Sprouts Continue to Be Available to Consumers --

BALTIMORE, July 25, 2000 -- Brassica Protection Products LLC (BPP) announced today that, after re-examination, one of the key patents it licenses from Johns Hopkins University for broccoli sprouts rich in glucosinolates was completely upheld by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). This action supports the unique properties of BroccoSprouts^® and enables consumers to continue to get these nutritious, high-quality broccoli sprouts.

BroccoSprouts are the first and only broccoli sprouts grown to provide consistently high levels of the natural antioxidant sulforaphane GS (SGS™). "Sulforaphane has been shown to prevent cancer in animal models and may well be one of the explanations why a diet rich in vegetables and fruit helps protect humans against cancer," according to Paul Talalay, MD, Professor of Pharmacology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, one of the scientists who made the broccoli sprout discovery and a founder of the company.

BPP is the exclusive worldwide licensee of the patent from Johns Hopkins and was formed to ensure that broccoli sprouts with consistent levels of the long-lasting antioxidant and guaranteed quality are made available to the public.

After a full re-examination, the patent office upheld every one of the 16 original claims in U.S. Patent 5,725,895 "Method of preparing a food product from cruciferous seeds," and found no basis for the challenge.

This action by the PTO completely confirms that the finding by scientists at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine that broccoli sprouts contain concentrated levels of glucosinolates (potential cancer-preventing compounds) is a useful, novel and unexpected discovery, fully protected by the U.S. patent system.

The patent office found no basis for the challengers' contention that "prior art" indicated the existence of glucosinolate-rich broccoli sprouts before the discovery by the Johns Hopkins team. The examiner rejected these assertions as well as assertions that concentrated levels of glucosinolates are an inherent characteristic of broccoli sprouts, since the Johns Hopkins team demonstrated that broccoli sprouts have widely varying levels of these important compounds which boost the body's own defenses against cancer.

Brassica Protection Products markets these fresh broccoli sprouts under the BroccoSprouts^® brand in the fresh produce sections of supermarkets throughout the U.S.

"Now that the challengers have had their 'day in court' and no merit has been found for their challenge, there can be no question about the legitimacy of these patents, which resulted from decades of research at Johns Hopkins. We hope that the infringers will abide by the law and stop producing unlicensed broccoli sprouts," said BPP CEO Tony Talalay. "As for BPP, we will redouble our efforts to ensure that nutritious, high-quality, good-tasting broccoli sprouts containing guaranteed levels of this antioxidant are available to the public as widely as possible."

Tony Talalay emphasized that, not only do the 17 licensed U.S. growers have access to the technology and intellectual property to ensure that sprouts offer a consistent level of SGS, but they also strictly comply with production methods that provide the highest possible levels of food cleanliness and safety. All BPP growers have fully implemented the FDA's October 1999 guidances for safe growing of sprouts and for testing of irrigation water to prevent releasing unsuitable sprouts.