Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary, Micro Imaging Technology (“MIT”). As of October 31, 2005, the operations of the Company’s subsidiaries, Electropure EDI, Inc. and Electropure Holdings, LLC, were discontinued and the Company became a development stage company. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates.

Changes in Capitalization and Reverse Stock Split

Changes in Capitalization and Reverse Stock Split

On February 8, 2013, the Company amended its Articles of Incorporation and decreased the authorized number of shares of Common Stock from 2.5 billion to 25 million shares. At the same time, the Company underwent a five hundred-for-one (500:1) reverse stock split of its Common Stock and Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock. For purposes of this Annual Report, all issuances of common stock and options or warrants to purchase common stock, if any, are reflected retroactively in post-reverse split amounts. As of October 31, 2013, the reverse split effected by the Company resulted in a reduction in capital stock and an increase in additional paid-in capital in the amount of $24,677,786.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

For purposes of reporting within the statement of cash flows, the Company considers all cash on hand, cash accounts not subject to withdrawal restrictions or penalties, and all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash and cash equivalents.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company annually evaluates its long-lived assets, including identifiable intangible assets for potential impairment. When circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset is not recoverable, as demonstrated by the projected undiscounted cash flows, an impairment loss is recognized. The Company’s management has determined that there was no such impairment present at October 31, 2013 and 2012.

Inventory

Inventory

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis. The Company’s management monitors inventory for excess and obsolete items and makes necessary valuation corrections when such adjustments are required.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost and are depreciated using the straight-line method over an expected useful life of 3 or 5 years. The leasehold improvements made to the Company’s leased facility are being depreciated over an expected useful life of 5 years. Expenditures for normal maintenance and repairs are charged to operations. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets are removed from the accounts upon retirement or other disposition, and the resulting profit or loss is reflected in the Statement of Operations. Renewals and betterments that materially extend the life of the assets are capitalized.

The production tooling for the Company’s revised MIT 1000 has been capitalized and the $14,000 cost is being amortized over an estimated useful life of 3 years.

Software Costs

Software Costs

The Company capitalized $35,313 in fiscal 2013 in the development of proprietary software for the MIT 1000 rapid microbial identification system. The cost of the software is being amortized on a straight-line basis over 3 years.

Advertising Costs

Advertising Costs

The Company charges advertising costs to expense as incurred. The Company incurred $17,123 and $ 25, 357 in advertising expense during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013 and 2012 respectively.

Accrued Payroll, Payroll Taxes and Benefits

Accrued Payroll, Payroll Taxes and Benefits

From April 2010 through March 2012, payments made to two employees were recorded as reductions in accrued and unpaid payroll. In April 2012, the Company reclassified such payments as net payroll payments; calculated and recorded the employer and employee taxes that should have been withheld on such payment. Federal and state payroll tax returns have been filed for the last three quarters of 2010, all of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. The Company recorded a total of $81,206 and $20,560 in federal and state payroll taxes due, respectively. Estimated federal penalties and interest on the late filings and payments, in the sum of $24,196, have been accrued as of October 31, 2013. On September 20, 2012 and May 14, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service filed a Notice of Federal Tax Lien against the Company assessing $58,858 and $13,605, respectively for unpaid taxes, penalties and interest. The Company is in contact with the Internal Revenue Service to work out a payment schedule for the amounts due.

Estimated state penalties and interest of $4,316 on the above late filings were accrued. A Notice of Tax Lien for a portion of the taxes due was filed by the State of California on November 9, 2012 in the amount of $8,206, including penalty and interest. In October 2013, the California tax authority levied the Company’s account in the sum of $13,807 with an additional levy of $5,451 in November 2013. On December 17, 2013, the Company entered into an installment agreement with the California tax authority to pay $304 per month commencing January 27, 2014 until the remaining balance due has been satisfied.

Accrued Payroll and Benefits consist of the above payroll taxes, salaries, wages, and vacation benefits earned by employees, but not disbursed as of October 31, 2013 and includes payroll earned, but unpaid to various employees between January 16, 2013 and October 31, 2013. Accrued Payroll also includes the above estimated penalties and interest due on such unpaid payroll taxes. Liability for vacation benefits is accrued when earned monthly and reduced when taken. At the end of each fiscal period, the balance in the accrued vacation benefits liability account is adjusted to reflect current pay rates. Annual leave earned but not taken is considered an unfunded liability since this leave will be funded from future appropriations when it is actually taken by employees.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

Accounts Payable – Trade

As of October 31, 2013, the amount due to a former consultant to the Company, $112,000, represented 33% of the total amount due for accounts payable to non-affiliates. As of October 31, 2013, the Company owed its current independent accounting firm $33,500, which represents 10% of the total amount due for accounts payable. An additional 19% of accounts payable, or $64,952, is due legal counsel in the Alpine MIT Partners litigation in Texas. The Company also owes local counsel $34,749 in accrued fees as of October 31, 2013, which represents 10% of the total amount due for accounts payable.

Litigation and Claims

Alpine MIT Partners

On May 16, 2012, Alpine MIT Partners, LLC (Plaintiffs) filed a civil action against the Company and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey G. Nunez, (collectively, the Company), in the Texas District Court, Travis County. Plaintiffs alleged breach of contract and civil conspiracy, as well as tortious interference with contractual relations and prospective business relations. The lawsuit alleges that the Company breached certain provisions of a March 7, 2012 Securities Purchase Agreement the Company executed with the Plaintiff to sell up to $2.0 million of 7% Senior Secured five-year Convertible Debentures convertible into shares of common stock at a conversion rate of $.003 per share. The purchase and sale of the first $1.0 million Debenture was scheduled to close on or before April 6, 2012 and was subject to, among other things, Alpine closing the necessary equity funding to consummate the transactions. No money was ever received by the Company from Alpine. At a March 7, 2013 hearing, the Texas court upheld the Company’s argument and dismissed the complaint against the Company for lack of jurisdiction.

In August, 2013, Alpine filed an amended Complaint against Jeffrey Nunez in the Texas case alleging tortuous interference and conspiracy to terminate the March 7, 2012 Securities Purchase Agreement. Mr. Nunez believes that the allegations of the lawsuit against him have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the matter.

On January 10, 2013, the Company learned that Plaintiffs had filed a lien against the Company’s patents on May 8, 2012 with the California Secretary of State under the Uniform Commercial Code. On or about January 29, 2013, the Company filed suit against Alpine MIT Partners, LLC in the Orange County, California Superior Court alleging, among other claims, that the UCC filing is unauthorized. The lawsuit also names the managing director and managing member of Alpine as Defendants and alleges that they made false promises, intentional misrepresentations and breached the contract which is the subject of the Texas suit. The Company is seeking damages of $1.6 million. This lawsuit is currently in the discovery phase.

Michael W. Brennan

Concurrent with his April 13, 2012 resignation as Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, the Company agreed to repay a total of $160,000 in principal loans, $24,339 in accrued interest and $13,120 in unpaid fees and expenses due Michael Brennan over a 25-month payment schedule commencing May 1, 2012. Due to lack of funds, the Company has not made payments due Mr. Brennan since February 2013, each in the amount of $7,500. As of October 31, 2013, the principal balance due under the agreement amounted to $114,450 and, although Mr. Brennan originally waived interest on the note, the Company has accrued $11,750 in interest on that amount as of October 31, 2013.

On or about October 4, 2013, Mr. Brennan filed a lawsuit in the California Superior Court of Los Angeles for breach of contract for failure to pay monies due him under the above 2012 agreement. The lawsuit seeks $123,509 in principal damages, plus interest, costs and attorney fees. The Company has filed an answer to the complaint and is contesting the amount due Mr. Brennan. This lawsuit is currently in the discovery phase.

See also Item 13 – “Subsequent Events.”

In accordance with accounting standards regarding loss contingencies, the Company accrues an undiscounted liability for those contingencies where the incurrence of a loss is probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated, and the Company discloses the amount accrued and the amount of a reasonably possible loss in excess of the amount accrued, if such disclosure is necessary for its financial statements not to be misleading. The Company does not record liabilities when the likelihood that the liability has been incurred is probable but the amount cannot be reasonably estimated, or when the liability is believed to be only reasonably possible or remote.

Because litigation outcomes are inherently unpredictable, the Company’s evaluation of legal proceedings often involves a series of complex assessments by management about future events and can rely heavily on estimates and assumptions. If the assessments indicate that loss contingencies that could be material to any one of its financial statements are not probable, but are reasonably possible, or are probable, but cannot be estimated, then the Company discloses the nature of the loss contingencies, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss or a statement that such loss is not reasonably estimable. While the consequences of certain unresolved proceedings are not presently determinable, and an estimate of the probable and reasonably possible loss or range of loss in excess of amounts accrued for such proceedings cannot be reasonably made, an adverse outcome from such proceedings could have a material adverse effect on its financial statements in any given reporting period. However, in the opinion of Management, after consulting with legal counsel, the ultimate liability related to the current outstanding litigation is not expected to have a material adverse effect on its financial statements.

Management is of the opinion that the ultimate resolution of such matters now pending will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows. However, the outcome of legal proceedings cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty.

Antidilution Liability

Antidilution Liability

The Company has recorded a $23,358 liability to allow for the possible dilutive impact of equity issuances that alter or effect conversion or exchange rates existing on the various dates of conversion or exercise of securities having adjustable conversion rates. The liability is adjusted to reflect current fair market value at the end of each fiscal period. Due to decline in the Company;s stock price, we recorded a gain of $42,043 at October 31, 2013.

Research and Development

Research and Development

Research and development expenditures are charged to expense as they are incurred. The Company’s research and development activities include ongoing work on various uses of the micro imaging multi-angle laser light scattering technology. Contract research and development expenditures are expensed as incurred.

Stock Based Compensation

Stock Based Compensation

The Company measures share based compensation at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award using the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model, and recognizes such compensation as an expense over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity grant).

The Company recognized no share-based compensation expense during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2013 and 2012.

Activity under the Company’s stock option plans is included in Note 9.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method. Under the liability method, deferred income taxes are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities. They are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company is required to adjust its deferred tax liabilities in the period when tax rates or the provisions of the income tax laws change. Valuation allowances are established to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized.

The Company has not yet completed its state and federal corporate income tax returns for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2012, which were due to be filed (with an extension), by July 15, 2013. Neither has the Company paid the $1,600 state income tax due for fiscal 2012 or the estimated tax of $1,600 due to the state for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013. The Company has accrued $1,150 as of October 31, 2013 as penalties and interest related to these late payments and filings.

Loss Per Share

Loss Per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share excludes dilution and is calculated by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then share in the earnings (loss) of the entity. Common stock equivalents of 872,363 and 254,877 as of October 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, have been omitted from the earnings (loss) per share calculation, as their effect would be antidilutive.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

On January 31, 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update [ASU] 2013-01, entitled Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities. The guidance in ASU 2013-01 amends the requirements in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification [FASB ASC] Topic 210, entitled Balance Sheet. The ASU 2013-01 amendments to FASB ASC 210 clarify that ordinary trade receivables and receivables in general are not within the scope of ASU 2011-11, entitled Disclosure about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities, where that ASU amended the guidance in FASB ASC 210. As those disclosures now are modified with the ASU 2013-01 amendments, the FASB ASC 210 balance sheet offsetting disclosures now clearly are applicable only where reporting entities are involved with bifurcated embedded derivatives, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and securities borrowing and lending transactions that either are offset using the FASB ASC 210 or 815 requirements, or that are subject to enforceable master netting arrangements or similar agreements. ASU 2013-01 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on our financial statements.

On February 28, 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update [ASU] 2013-04, entitled Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date. The ASU 2013-04 amendments add to the guidance in FASB Accounting Standards Codification [FASB ASC] Topic 405, entitled Liabilities and require reporting entities to measure obligations resulting from certain joint and several liability arrangements where the total amount of the obligation is fixed as of the reporting date, as the sum of the following:

● The amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among co-obligors.

● Any additional amounts the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors.

While early adoption of the amended guidance is permitted, for public companies, the guidance is required to be implemented in fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments need to be implemented retrospectively to all prior periods presented for obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements that exist at the beginning of the year of adoption. The adoption of ASU 2013-04 is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

On April 22, 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update [ASU] 2013-07, entitled Liquidation Basis of Accounting. With ASU 2013-07, the FASB amends the guidance in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification [FASB ASC] Topic 205, entitled Presentation of Financial Statements. The amendments serve to clarify when and how reporting entities should apply the liquidation basis of accounting. The guidance is applicable to all reporting entities, whether they are public or private companies or not-for-profit entities. The guidance also provides principles for the recognition of assets and liabilities and disclosures, as well as related financial statement presentation requirements. The requirements in ASU 2013-07 are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013, and interim reporting periods within those annual periods. Reporting entities are required to apply the requirements in ASU 2013-07 prospectively from the day that liquidation becomes imminent. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of ASU 2013-07 is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

On July 18, 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11, which provides guidance on financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit² when a net operating loss (NOL) carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The FASB’s objective in issuing this ASU is to eliminate diversity in practice resulting from a lack of guidance on this topic in current U.S. GAAP. This ASU applies to all entities with unrecognized tax benefits that also have tax loss or tax credit carryforwards in the same tax jurisdiction as of the reporting date. Under the ASU, an entity must present an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for an NOL carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward except when:

● An NOL carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available as of the reporting date under the governing tax law to settle taxes that would result from the disallowance of the tax position.

● The entity does not intend to use the deferred tax asset for this purpose (provided that the tax law permits a choice).

If either of these conditions exists, an entity should present an unrecognized tax benefit in the financial statements as a liability and should not net the unrecognized tax benefit with a deferred tax asset.

ASU 2013-11 is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2013, and interim periods within those years. The adoption of ASU 2013-11 is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s operating results or financial position.

There were various other updates recently issued, many of which represented technical corrections to the accounting literature or application to specific industries. N one of the updates are expected to a have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.