author
A. W. (Arvill Wayne) Bitting
1870–1946
A pioneering food technologist and physician, he helped turn canning from a practical craft into a more scientific field. His books opened up the history, methods, and everyday uses of canned foods for both industry and general readers.
2 Audiobooks
Ketchup: Methods of Manufacture; Microscopic Examination
by A. W. (Arvill Wayne) Bitting, K. G. (Katherine Golden) Bitting
Experiments on the Spoilage of Tomato Ketchup
by A. W. (Arvill Wayne) Bitting
About the author
Born in Bourbon, Indiana, on May 24, 1870, Arvill Wayne Bitting studied agriculture at Purdue University, then went on to earn a veterinary degree from Iowa State College and an M.D. from the Medical College of Indiana University. His unusually broad training shaped a career that moved easily between agriculture, medicine, bacteriology, and food technology.
Bitting became known for his work on food preservation and commercial canning. He wrote and co-wrote books including Canning and How to Use Canned Foods and Appertizing, or, The Art of Canning; Its History and Development, and he also published technical work on the bacteriological examination of canned foods. His career included service connected with the U.S. government and later research work for the National Canners Association, reflecting his role in bringing scientific standards to a growing food industry.
He is also remembered with his wife, Katherine Golden Bitting, as an important collector of books on gastronomy. After her death, he helped see their collection into lasting institutional care, adding another legacy beyond his scientific writing. Bitting died on April 21, 1946.