DAVIS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Arcadia Biosciences (Nasdaq: RKDA), an agricultural food ingredient company, today announced plans to add its new reduced gluten (RG) wheat lines to its GoodWheat™ portfolio of branded ingredients. The company expects to have its first RG bread wheat flour available for commercial testing by the end of the year.

Arcadia’s reduced gluten wheat, developed through research funded in part by a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders Institute, is the second product to be added to Arcadia’s recently announced GoodWheat™ branded ingredients platform, along with its high fiber Resistant Starch (RS) wheat lines. The goal of the GoodWheat™ brand is to add value to the entire wheat supply chain, from seed to table, by enabling a wider range of choices to meet evolving consumer demands.

Arcadia developed RG GoodWheat™ for people who enjoy the taste, texture and nutritional benefits of wheat in the foods they love and, at the same time, would like to reduce gluten in their diets. The gluten-free food market is estimated to grow to $7.59 billion by 2020 in the United States. However, only about 1 percent of the population suffers from celiac disease, which necessitates a gluten-free diet. A much larger number of people who choose to eat gluten-free products do not have gluten-related medical conditions but report feeling better by consuming less gluten.

Arcadia’s RG product is a non-GM, patent-pending, identity preserved specialty wheat in which allergenic glutens have been reduced by 75 percent and overall gluten content has been reduced by 60 percent. At the same time, the levels of glutens important for bread-making are not changed.

“A growing number of consumers are making a conscious effort to reduce gluten in their diets, even if they haven’t been diagnosed with celiac disease, so we developed Reduced Gluten GoodWheat™ to give those consumers more choices to continue enjoying the healthy wheat-based foods they love,” said Raj Ketkar, president and CEO of Arcadia Biosciences. “These proprietary wheat varieties, developed using advanced screening and plant breeding techniques, also give food processors an opportunity to differentiate their brands and create unique brand extensions.”

Arcadia expects to have its first RG GoodWheat™ branded bread wheat flour available to test milling and baking ability in late 2018, with a projected launch for pre-commercial activities approximately 12 months later. Development work is also ongoing as Arcadia conducts studies into reducing allergenic gluten levels in pasta wheat.

About Arcadia Biosciences, Inc.

Arcadia Biosciences (Nasdaq: RKDA) develops and markets high-value food ingredients and nutritional oils that help meet consumer demand for a healthier diet. Arcadia’s GoodWheat™ branded ingredients deliver health benefits to consumers and enable consumer packaged goods companies to differentiate their brands in the marketplace. The company’s portfolio of agricultural traits are being developed to enable farmers around the world to be more productive and minimize the impact of agriculture on the environment. For more information visit www.arcadiabio.com.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements relating to the company’s expectations regarding when commercial testing and pre-commercial activities will begin for its reduced gluten bread wheat flour. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the company’s and its partners’ and affiliates’ ability to identify and isolate desired traits; the company’s and its partners’ ability to develop commercial products incorporating its traits and complete the regulatory review process for such products; the company’s compliance with laws and regulations that impact the company’s business, and changes to such laws and regulations; the company’s future capital requirements and ability to satisfy its capital needs; and the other risks set forth in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the risks set forth in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof, and Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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