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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.36



                               FOURTH AMENDMENT TO
                                CREDIT AGREEMENT

     This Third Amendment to Credit Agreement is entered into as of November 28,
2000 (this "Amendment"), by and between IMPERIAL BANK, a California banking
corporation ("Bank") and MONTEREY PASTA , a Delaware corporation ("Borrower").

                                    RECITALS

     WHEREAS, Borrower and Bank are parties to that certain Credit Agreement
dated as of August 2, 1999, (as amended, restated, modified, supplemented or
revised from time to time, the "Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, each of the parties to this Amendment desire to amend the
Agreement in accordance herewith.

                                    AGREEMENT

     NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:

A.   AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT.
     ---------------------------

     The dollar figure "$3,250,000.00" in Section 5.06 of the Agreement is
hereby amended to read as "$4,250,000.00"

B.   EFFECT OF AMENDMENT, REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.
     ---------------------------------------------------

          1.   The Agreement, as amended hereby, shall be and remain in full
force and effect in accordance with its respective terms and hereby is ratified
and confirmed in all respects. Except as expressly set forth herein, the
execution, delivery, and performance of this Amendment shall not operate as a
waiver of, or as an amendment of, any right, power, or remedy of Bank under the
Agreement, as in effect prior to the date hereof. Borrower ratifies and
reaffirms the continuing effectiveness of all promissory notes, guaranties,
security agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, environmental agreements, and
all other instruments, documents and agreements entered into in connection with
the Agreement.

          2.   Borrower represents and warrants that the Representations and
Warranties contained in the Agreement are true and correct as of the date of
this Amendment, and that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

C.   CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS AMENDMENT
     -----------------------------------------------------------

          1.   As a condition to the effectiveness of this Amendment, Bank shall
have received, in form and substance satisfactory to Bank, the following:

          (a.) this Amendment, duly executed by Borrower


D.   MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
     ------------------------

          1.   Unless otherwise defined, all initially capitalized terms in this
Amendment shall be as defined in the Agreement.

          2.   This Amendment may be executed in two or more counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one instrument.


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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Amendment as of the
date first above written.

                             Monterey Pasta Company,
                             a Delaware corporation



                             By:  /s/ Stephen L. Brinkman
                                -----------------------------------
                                  Stephen L. Brinkman
                             Title: Chief Financial Officer
                                    -----------------------

                             IMPERIAL BANK,
                             A California banking corporation


                             By:  /s/ Dennis Johnson
                                -----------------------------------
                                  Dennis Johnson
                             Title: Vice President
                                    --------------


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