(Washington, D.C. 22 June 2011) - Mr. Bruce W. Ferguson, President and CEO of Edenspace Systems Corporation ("Edenspace"), announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA") has awarded a two-year, $460,000 grant to Edenspace for the continued development of calcium-fortified lettuce. Administered from USDA's Small Business Innovative Research ("SBIR") Program, the grant follows a Phase I grant that provided early funding for the project. The new lettuce variety is expected to provide higher levels of calcium in a popular food, thereby helping consumers to meet recommended dietary calcium levels.

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, ten million Americans have osteoporosis and another eighteen million have low bone mass, putting them at risk for developing osteoporosis. One in two women and one in eight men over the age of 50 will have an osteoporosis-related fracture, resulting in more than $10 billion in health care costs annually. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that by 2020 half of all Americans older than 50 will be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis and low bone mass if no immediate action is taken, which includes obtaining the recommended daily allowance ("RDA") for most adults of at least 1,000 mg per day of calcium. Unfortunately, the diets of 55% of men and 78% of women in the United States do not meet recommended calcium levels.

In the United States, approximately 70% of dietary calcium is provided by dairy products such as milk and cheese, with another 9% to 16% provided by green vegetables and dried fruits and 6% to 7% by drinking water. The USDA lists only seven vegetables as "good" sources of calcium, providing at least 10% of the adult RDA per serving. None of these - spinach, collards, kale, okra, mustard greens, turnip greens, or beans - forms a significant part of the average U.S. diet. While per capita consumption of lettuce at approximately 32 pounds per year is approximately 16 times greater than annual per capita consumption of spinach, calcium levels in current lettuce varieties are relatively low.

Using a combination of innovative hydroponic growing techniques and genetic engineering, this project seeks to elevate calcium content in lettuce to levels that provide at least 10% of the adult RDA per serving, thereby providing a new dietary option for consumers who seek to increase the amount of calcium in their diet without replacing favorite foods or relying on mineral supplements.

Edenspace seeks to transform the energy, agricultural and environmental industries through innovative applications of plants for renewable fuels and environmental sustainability. It designs its products and services to help reduce dependence on fossil fuels, improve human health and nutrition, and restore and protect the environment. Headquartered in Kansas and with an office outside Washington, D.C., the company is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Innovator Award, Environmental Business Journal's Technology Award and the DaimlerChrysler Environmental Excellence Award.

Further information is available at www.edenspace.com