Del Monte Teams Up With Celebrity Chef To Promote Starkist Tuna ff

As more American families strive to live a healthier lifestyle, Del Monte Foods (NYSE:DLM) announces that Chef Art Smith, award-winning cookbook author and Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, will be making media appearances in support of the Del Monte(R) and StarKist(R) brands’ Just One More for Healthy Living(TM) campaign. Chef Art Smith will present simple, nutritious and delicious dishes using a variety of fruits, vegetables, tomatoes and lean protein, such as tuna, featured in his new cookbook, Back to the Family (Rutledge Hill Press, March 2007).

The Just One More for Healthy Living campaign empowers families to lead a healthier lifestyle by eating more wholesome foods and reconnecting with each other during a shared meal. Launched in 2006, Just One More for Healthy Living encourages consumers to take simple steps each day that will yield significant results towards a healthy lifestyle - by adding just one more serving of fruits, vegetables and tomatoes daily, and one more serving weekly of tuna to your family’s diet.

"Food tastes better when it’s shared with the ones you love - that is the inspiration for my third cookbook, Back to the Family, which follows the success of Back to the Table and Kitchen Life. I take an extremely realistic approach to cooking, and create recipes that are not only nutritious and great tasting, but also affordable and convenient so they can easily fit into anyone’s daily lifestyle," said Chef Smith. “Anything that we can do to help families reconnect during a shared, wholesome meal is worthwhile and programs like Just One More For Healthy Living offer valuable resources to encourage families to eat more wholesome foods.”

”Just One More” Way to Embrace a Healthier, Happier Lifestyle “Living a healthy lifestyle is about more than simply cutting calories or taking the stairs. It’s about eating a variety of healthy foods that will fuel you and your family to good health,” said Apu Mody, Senior Vice President, Del Monte Consumer Products. “The Just One More for Healthy Living campaign encourages consumers to take simple steps each day that will yield significant results towards a healthy lifestyle - by adding just one more serving of fruits, vegetables and tomatoes daily, and one more serving weekly of tuna. This program is easy to follow and we are dedicated to helping people make food choices that will result in a lifetime of good health.”

According to Mody, the Just One More for Health Living program supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines and myPyramid to help consumers better understand the recommendations and offers practical advice on how to live a healthier lifestyle. The program comes to life with a variety of dynamic components - everything from strategic partnerships with the Discovery Health Channel to recipes, tips and advice from experts such as celebrity Chef Art Smith, and resources available at www.delmonte.com, as well as extensive in-store programs.

Del Monte and StarKist have established a rich history of producing quality products, while maintaining the highest level of quality, convenience and nutrition. From the lycopene found in Del Monte(R) canned Tomatoes to the Omega-3 fatty acids in StarKist(R) Tuna, there are numerous long-term health benefits attributed to these products. For example, research indicates that the lycopene in canned tomatoes may protect against heart disease and prostate cancer.. And the Omega-3 fatty acids in tuna have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, blood clots and stroke, as well as fight certain types of cancer and help relieve depression.

”Just One More” Dinner Together with Family

Through the Just One More For Healthy Living Campaign, Del Monte and StarKist offer simple and easy ways to expand the weekly cooking repertoire by bringing healthful meals to the table - where the family can gather and enjoy. There is a growing movement to educate Americans about the beneficial role that the family meal plays in the development, health and success of the nation’s children.

Research indicates that children who consistently eat a healthful and balanced diet are more likely to do better in school, perform better on standardized tests and have fewer behavioral problems. Additional studies have found that children who do not typically eat dinner with their parents are more likely to be overweight and are more likely to use illegal drugs, cigarettes and alcohol than those who eat dinner with their parents at least six times a week.

”Del Monte and StarKist’s philosophy is based on creating dishes that bring families back to the table,” said Mody. “In addition to the nutritional benefits, a variety of fruit, vegetable, tomatoes and tuna products take the stress out of creating a wholesome and delicious meal, which means less time in the kitchen and more time with your family around the table.”