Cruess, William

Cruess, William (Vere)

(1886–1968) food scientist; born near San Miguel, Calif. Born to an impoverished farm family, he worked his way through the University of California: Berkeley where he also taught from 1911 to 1954. From 1938–48 he chaired the Division of Fruit Products. He developed the technology for processing fruit culls, formerly considered waste, and is credited with inventing the canned fruit cocktail.