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Lifecore Names John E. Runnells to Board of Directors

CHASKA, MN, May 14, 2002 -- LIFECORE BIOMEDICAL, INC. (Nasdaq:LCBM) announced today that it has appointed John E. Runnells to its Board of Directors. Mr. Runnells is a General Partner of The Vertical Group, a leading medical industry venture capital firm and a major shareholder of Lifecore.

Jim Bracke, President and CEO of Lifecore stated "We are very pleased that John Runnells has agreed to serve on Lifecore's Board of Directors. As Lifecore proceeds with the development of its ferric hyaluronan technology through the initial product commercialization of GYNECARE INTERGEL Adhesion Prevention Solution and other new business opportunities, John's advice with regard to strategic direction and enhancement of shareholder value will be invaluable. In addition to his extensive knowledge and experience in the medical device industry, he also brings that of The Vertical Group, one of the country's most sophisticated investors in medical technology. Vertical has been a loyal long term shareholder and John and his partners were instrumental in advising Lifecore on its successful strategy to obtain FDA approval for INTERGEL Solution via the Medical Devices Dispute Resolution Panel."

Mr. Runnells said, "I look forward to working with Jim and the Lifecore team. My presence on the Lifecore Board as a representative of The Vertical Group, one of Lifecore's largest shareholders, is indicative of the Company's commitment to building shareholder value. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead."

Mr. Runnells has been a General Partner of The Vertical Group since 1989. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and the Harvard Law School with thirty years of business experience including corporate law, portfolio management, medical industry investing, and FDA consulting. The Vertical Group is one of the nation's largest venture capital firms focused on the medical device industry. Through affiliated entities The Vertical Group has been a Lifecore investor since 1992, and currently is one of the Company's largest shareholders with an ownership position of approximately 10%.

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements implying improvement in Lifecore's future financial performance and valuation are subject to change. Because of numerous risks and uncertainties in the complex aspects of Lifecore's business activity, actual results may differ materially from those implied. Investors are strongly cautioned to review more detailed discussions of those risks as presented in the Company's Forms 10-Q and 10-K.

Lifecore Biomedical develops, manufactures, and markets biomaterials and medical devices for use in various surgical markets.
Additional general corporate information about Lifecore is available on the Internet at http://www.lifecore.com.

GYNECARE and INTERGEL are trademarks of ETHICON, INC.

CONTACT:
Lifecore Biomedical, Chaska
Jim Bracke, 952/368-4300
Dennis J. Allingham, 952/368-4300
Colleen M. Olson, 952/368-4300