PURE Bioscience Responds to the Latest Foodborne Illness Outbreak Tied to Romaine Lettuce

PURE Bioscience, Inc. (OTCQB: PURE), creator of the patented silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC) antimicrobial, today responded to the current widespread foodborne illness outbreak associated with romaine lettuce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended consumers avoid all forms of romaine lettuce due to growing numbers of consumers being infected with E. coli after consuming romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona region. With its FDA approved, SDC-based PURE Control® antimicrobial, PURE offers produce processors a solution that can significantly mitigate the risk of foodborne illnesses resulting from consumption of their products.

Over 3+ years of extensive SDC testing has shown consistent and materially significant reductions in the pathogens most frequently associated with foodborne illness outbreaks traced to processed produce (including E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria). Additionally, there are no negative organoleptic impacts resulting from the application of PURE Control during produce processing. A breakthrough technology, SDC is a highly effective, non-toxic food safety solution, which is safe for both people and the environment.

Produce processors typically seek a 1 log reduction* in pathogens from an intervention or processing aid. PURE’s testing with multiple produce processors has consistently exceeded expectations, indicating pathogen reductions averaging 3 logs – or 99.9%.

The use of PURE Control by produce processors is just beginning to roll out.

Hank R. Lambert, CEO of PURE said, “The recent E. coli outbreak associated with romaine lettuce highlights the urgent need for a more efficacious produce processing aid, and we are confident that PURE Control offers the industry that much needed, 'game changing' solution.

“Fresh produce processors continue to combat prevalent contaminants (including E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria) that have persisted through processing. We believe that SDC-based PURE Control is a superior and non-toxic food safety alternative. PURE Control will go a long way toward alleviating many of the foodborne illness outbreaks, like those currently being experienced by consumers, as reported in the press. Both human health and brand reputation are at risk. Suppliers, retailers, and restaurant chains are seeking opportunities to be safety leaders – and PURE Control offers a proven means to make food safer for consumers,” concluded Lambert.

*Log reduction is a mathematical term used to show the relative number of live microbes eliminated from a surface by disinfecting or cleaning.
A 2-Log reduction can be best illustrated as having two zeros, meaning the number of germs is 100 times smaller.

Produce – The Leading Source of Foodborne Illness in the US
The combination of the immediate market need plus the proven superior efficacy of SDC, leads PURE to believe that it will provide a solution to US produce processors.

• The CDC has identified leafy greens as the primary source of foodborne illness.
• Each year, one in six Americans is sickened by foodborne illness, according to the CDC.
• Recent, highly visible incidents of foodborne illness outbreaks reported in the media underscore the pressing need for more effective pathogen reduction solutions.

About PURE Bioscience, Inc.
PURE Bioscience, Inc. is focused on developing and commercializing our proprietary antimicrobial products primarily in the food safety arena -- providing solutions to the health and environmental challenges of pathogen and hygienic control. Our technology platform is based on patented stabilized ionic silver, and our initial products contain silver dihydrogen citrate, or SDC. SDC is a broad-spectrum, non-toxic antimicrobial agent, which offers 24-hour residual protection and formulates well with other compounds. As a platform technology, SDC is distinguished from existing products in the marketplace because of its superior efficacy, reduced toxicity and it mitigates bacterial resistance. PURE is headquartered in El Cajon, California (San Diego metropolitan area). Additional information on PURE is available at www.purebio.com.

Forward-looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the Company’s failure to implement or otherwise achieve the benefits of its proposed business initiatives and plans; acceptance of the Company's current and future products and services in the marketplace, including the Company’s ability to convert successful evaluations and tests for PURE Control into customer orders and customers continuing to place product orders as expected and to expand their use of the Company’s products; the Company’s ability to raise the funding required to support its continued operations and the implementation of its business plan; the ability of the Company to develop effective new products and receive required regulatory approvals for such products, including the required data and regulatory approvals required to use its SDC-based technology as a direct food contact processing aid in raw meat processing and to expand its use in OLR poultry processing; competitive factors, including customer acceptance of the Company’s SDC-based products that are typically more expensive than existing treatment chemicals; dependence upon third-party vendors, including to manufacture its products; and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2017 and Form 10-Q for the second fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2018. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.

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PURE Bioscience, Inc.
Hank Lambert, CEO
619-596-8600 ext.103
[email protected]
or
Bibicoff + MacInnis, Inc.
Terri MacInnis, VP of IR
818-379-8500
[email protected]
or
Redwood Investment Group
Tom Hemingway
714-978-4425
[email protected]