Document:

GENERAL RELEASE

     For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is
hereby acknowledged, the undersigned, HAUSER, INC., a Delaware corporation,
ZETAPHARM, INC., a New York corporation, WILCOX NATURAL PRODUCTS, INC., a
Delaware corporation, SHUSTER LABORATORIES, INC., a Massachusetts corporation,
and BOTANICALS INTERNATIONAL EXTRACTS, INC. (collectively, the "RELEASORS"), do
hereby release, remise, and forever discharge WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. (the
"BANK"), WELLS FARGO HSBC TRADE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, and their respective
officers, directors and employees (collectively, the "RELEASEES"), of and from
any and all obligations, claims, debts, demands, covenants, contracts, promises,
agreements, liabilities, controversies, costs, attorneys' fees, actions, or
causes of action which RELEASORS ever had, now have, can or may have, or claim
to have for, upon, or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever from
the beginning of the world to the day of the date of these presents, including
but not limited to any matters which arise out of, or are asserted under, or are
related to, the Credit Agreement dated as of June 11, 1999, as amended, but
excluding any claims with respect to rights relating to receive the principal of
and interest on any deposits with the BANK.

     RELEASORS hereby represent and warrant that they have not heretofore
assigned, transferred, sold, conveyed, licensed or otherwise granted to any
other person, firm or corporation any claim, demand, or cause of action, or any
part thereof, covered by the terms of the foregoing which they have or claim to
have against RELEASEES.

     The foregoing shall be binding in all respects upon the successors,
assigns, heirs, executors and administrators of RELEASORS and shall inure to the
benefit of the successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators of
RELEASEES.

     This General Release may not be changed orally.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have signed and sealed this General
Release this 3rd day of October, 2000.

                                         HAUSER, INC.

                                         By   /s/ Volker Wypyszyk
                                           -----------------------------

                                         ZETAPHARM, INC.

                                         By   /s/ Volker Wypyszyk
                                           -----------------------------

<PAGE>

                                         WILCOX NATURAL PRODUCTS, INC.

                                         By   /s/ Volker Wypyszyk
                                           -----------------------------

                                         SHUSTER LABORATORIES, INC.

                                         By   /s/ Kenneth C. Cleveland
                                           -----------------------------

                                         BOTANICALS INTERNATIONAL EXTRACTS, INC.

                                         By /s/ Kenneth C. Cleveland
                                           -----------------------------

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

STATE OF CALIFORNIA   )
                      :  ss.:
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )

     On this 3rd day of October, 2000, before me personally came Volker
Wypyszyk, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he
resides at 30073 Avenida Elegante, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275; that he is the
Chief Executive Officer of Hauser, Inc., the corporation described in and which
executed the foregoing General Release; and that he signed his name thereto by
order of the Board of Directors of said corporation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the
day and year aforesaid.

                                        /s/ Jennifer Yanche
                                ------------------------------------
                                         Notary Public

STATE OF CALIFORNIA   )
                      :  ss.:
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )

     On this 3rd day of Ocbober, 2000, before me personally came Volker
Wypyszyk, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he
resides at 30073 Avenida Elegante, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275, that he is a
Director the of Zetapharm, Inc., the corporation described in and which executed
the foregoing General Release; and that he signed his name thereto by order of
the Board of Directors of said corporation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the
day and year aforesaid.

                                        /s/ Jennifer Yanche
                                ------------------------------------
                                         Notary Public

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

STATE OF CALIFORNIA   )
                      :  ss.:
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )

     On this 3rd day of October, 2000, before me personally came Volker
Wypyszyk, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he
resides at 30073 Avenida Elegante, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275; that he is the
President of Wilcox Natural Products, Inc., the corporation described in and
which executed the foregoing General Release; and that he signed his name
thereto by order of the Board of Directors of said corporation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the
day and year aforesaid.

                                        /s/ Jennifer Yanche
                                ------------------------------------
                                         Notary Public

STATE OF CALIFORNIA   )
                      :  ss.:
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )

     On this 3rd day of October, 2000, before me personally came Kenneth C.
Cleveland, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he
resides at 21354 Rambla Vista, Malibu, CA 90265; that he is the Clerk of Shuster
Laboratories, Inc., the corporation described in and which executed the
foregoing General Release; and that he signed his name thereto by order of the
Board of Directors of said corporation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the
day and year aforesaid.

                                        /s/ Jennifer Yanche
                                ------------------------------------
                                         Notary Public

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

STATE OF CALIFORNIA   )
                      :  ss.:
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )

     On this 3rd day of October, 2000, before me personally came Kenneth C.
Cleveland, to me known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he
resides at 21354 Rambla Vista, Malibu, CA 90265; that he is the Chief Financial
Officer of Botanicals International Extracts, Inc., the corporation described in
and which executed the foregoing General Release; and that he signed his name
thereto by order of the Board of Directors of said corporation.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the
day and year aforesaid.

                                        /s/ Jennifer Yanche
                                ------------------------------------
                                         Notary Public

                                      -5-AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO SECURITY AGREEMENT, dated as of September 1, 2000
(this "Amendment"), to that certain Security Agreement, dated as of June 11,
1999 (the "Original Agreement"), among Hauser, Inc., a Colorado corporation
("Hauser"), Shuster Laboratories, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation
(collectively, the "Debtors"), and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the
"Secured Party").

         Hauser has caused to be formed a new corporation, Hauser Technical
Services, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("HTS"), which is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Hauser. In consideration of the Secured Party entering into a
Waiver and Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement, dated as of September 1, 2000,
to that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 11, 1999, among the Debtors,
Zuellig Botanical Extracts, Inc., ZetaPharm Inc., Wilcox Drug Company, Inc., and
Secured Party, and pursuant to the terms of the Original Agreement, the Debtors,
HTS and the Secured Party hereby agree to amend the Original Agreement to add
and include HTS as a party thereto, which for all purposes shall be deemed to be
a Debtor, as defined in the Original Agreement, as if it had been an original
signatory thereto.

         Except as specifically provided herein, all terms and conditions of the
Original Agreement remain in full force and effect, without waiver or
modification. This Amendment and the Original Agreement shall be read together
as one document.

         IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be
duly executed and delivered by their respective officers or representatives as
of the day and year first above written.

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL                HAUSER, INC.
  ASSOCIATION

By:    /s/ Art Brokx                      By:    /s/ Volker Wypyszyk
       ----------------------------              -------------------------------
Name:  Art Brokx                          Name:  Volker Wypyszyk
       ----------------------------              -------------------------------
Title: Vice-President                     Title: Chief Executive Officer
       ----------------------------              -------------------------------

SHUSTER LABORATORIES, INC.                HAUSER TECHNICAL SERVICES, INC.

By:    /s/ Kenneth C. Cleveland           By:    /s/ Kenneth C. Cleveland
       ----------------------------              -------------------------------
Name:  Kenneth C. Cleveland               Name:  Kenneth C. Cleveland
       ----------------------------              -------------------------------
Title: Clerk                              Title: Vice-President
       ----------------------------              -------------------------------

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