5@5: Candy maker Mars invests in Kind | Chipotle CEO steps down

Mars bites into Kind bars

Mars says it made a minority investment in Kind and will help the snack brand—which last year reduced the sugar in several of its products—go international. The move gives the candy company a foothold in the booming healthy snacks business. But CEO Daniel Lubetzky says he doesn’t plan to sell the company outright; rather, he plans to acquire companies and enter new markets next year. Read more at The Wall Street Journal…

Chipotle is on the hunt for a new CEO as turnaround stalls

As the fast-casual chain continues to face fallout from food safety scandals that have damaged its sales and reputation, CEO Steve Ells is stepping down. The board is looking for a new leader with turnaround experience “who can reinvigorate the brand and help the company achieve its potential,” director Neil Flanzraich says. Read more at Forbes…

WRAP releases date label guidance to drive down UK food waste

The UK has a new plan to curb food waste at the consumer level. Three organizations have come up with a set of best practices for retailers, brands and manufacturers to communicate food safety information to consumers, so that they don’t throw food away sooner than necessary. The new standard calls for on-package visual cues—like a little blue fridge icon to indicate that a product should be refrigerated. It’s a similar effort to the USDA’s labeling guidance suggesting that brands use “best if used by” date labels. Read more at Sustainable Brands…

FDA warns biotin may interfere with lab tests

High doses of vitamin B7, or biotin, frequently an ingredient in multivitamins and supplements for hair and nails, can influence the results of lab tests that emergency room doctors use to diagnose heart attacks. Read more at CBS Baltimore…

There’s drama on dietitian Twitter, and it’s exposing deep rifts in nutrition doctrine

Increasing hostility between dietitians online—which is apparently so much an issue that the certifying body for dietitians has asked its members to sign a “pledge of professional civility”—illustrates a growing ideological divide in the field of nutrition. That encompasses divisive issues like GMOs, the importance (or lack thereof) of organic growing methods, natural and artificial flavors, food processing and corporate influence. Read more at The Washington Post…