Old Town, Maine – September 15, 2026 -- The Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA) has released a free consumer-education toolkit designed to simplify scientific terminology around plant compounds for reporters, educators, parents and caregivers ahead of the back-to-school season.
WBANA responds to rising consumer confusion over bioactive compound terminology
Colleen Craig, who leads WBANA's Health Research Committee, said the trade group observed a surge in consumer publications using bioactive compound terms when discussing wild blueberries, generating increased customer questions about phytonutrients such as anthocyanins and antioxidants. The toolkit, titled 'The ABCs of Phytonutrients: A Back-to-School Guide to Wild Blueberry Plant Power,' is positioned as a first-step communications resource for the industry.
Registered dietitian and 9-year-old daughter co-develop child-tested messaging
WBANA commissioned Maine-based registered dietitian Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD, and her 9-year-old daughter Lexi to translate plant science into language accessible to children. Rawn, who is also co-authoring the upcoming 'New England Kids Cookbook: Tasty Favorites for Young Chefs,' said the collaboration used wild blueberries' blue-purple color to make the term anthocyanins concrete for younger audiences.
Toolkit bundles four ready-to-use assets built on an ABC framework
The resource breaks phytonutrient science into three components: Anthocyanins (natural plant pigments acting as antioxidants), Bioactives (naturally occurring compounds studied for their interaction with the body) and Color (a visible indicator of pigment presence). It includes four deliverables: a definitions guide with a plant-compound family-tree graphic summarizing research on blood vessel function, cardiometabolic health, gut health and brain health; a 'Nature's Crayon Box' educational poster; a lunchbox note with kid-friendly anthocyanin facts and snack ideas; and a communications-inspiration sheet with story angles for educators and families.
Research citation anchors health claims to peer-reviewed literature
The guide references a 2026 review published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (Johnson et al., Vol. 66, Issue 20, pp. 3739-3760) examining wild blueberries and cardiometabolic health, giving the consumer-facing material a peer-reviewed research base.
Distribution spans both U.S. and Canadian markets
WBANA represents wild blueberry farmers and processors across Maine and Eastern Canada. The toolkit is published simultaneously on the organization's U.S. site, wildblueberries.com, and its Canadian counterpart, wildblueberryassociation.ca, reflecting the trade group's cross-border membership base in Fergus, Ontario, and Old Town, Maine.