ROCHESTER, NY, MARCH 1, 2006 - Thanks to Clarence Birdseye, frozen foods were introduced to retail customers over 75 years ago. Today, Birds Eye Foods announces another revolution in frozen food with the nationwide launch of Steamfresh™, frozen vegetables that steam perfectly right in the bag. Steamfresh combines patented steaming technology and fresh frozen vegetables to deliver unmatched taste, quality and convenience to consumers. Vegetables go from freezer to microwave to table in just five minutes.

Birds Eye developed the Steamfresh product to provide perfect vegetables every time in just minutes. Consumers no longer have to chop vegetables, boil water and carefully time the cooking to achieve great tasting vegetables. Steamfresh allows today’s busy cooks more time at the dinner table and less time in the kitchen. And it provides an easy way to meet the new daily requirements for vegetables – recommended at 2 ½ servings per day. Essential vitamins and minerals are locked in for the full nutritional benefit that steamed vegetables deliver.

The introduction of the Steamfresh product heralds in steam-in-the-bag cooking, new to U.S. consumers. Birds Eye packages its flash-frozen vegetables in a special custom-designed bag. While microwaving, this special bag becomes a steaming vessel as it puffs up under the pressure of the steam created within the bag. A patented vent releases the built up steam within the puffed bag, allowing the steam to circulate evenly throughout the cooking process. Consequently, vegetables are steamed to a crisp, colorful and tasty perfection.

“Steaming has long been thought of as the gold standard for vegetable preparation because of its inherent health benefits,” said Josh Weinstein, Senior Product Manager of Steamfresh for Birds Eye Foods. “With the Steamfresh products, consumers will receive perfectly steamed vegetables with such an ease and convenience in preparation time that we believe the Steamfresh portfolio could quickly become a home meal-time staple.”

Harvested and flash-frozen at their peak freshness, Birds Eye uses only the highest quality vegetables for all its products. Steamfresh is no exception. Each 12-ounce package serves about four people and is available in nine great varieties:

The Birds Eye Steamfresh product is available nationwide. The suggested retail price ranges between $1.69 for plain vegetables and $2.29 for mixtures. For more information, please visit www.birdseyesteamfresh.com.