Iran’s largest private holding, Golrang Industrial Group, has started construction of a household chemicals plant with a capacity of over 9 million liters per year in the Astrakhan region. The Iranian company plans to invest more than 360 million rubles in its first chemical plant in Russia.

The project is being implemented in several stages, with the first production expected in the second quarter of 2022. The total investment in the project is financed by the Iranian holding’s own funds.

Golrang Industrial Group specializes in the production of detergents and has been operating in Iran for over 60 years. It is the country’s largest manufacturer in this segment and exports its products to more than 20 countries, with priority areas being the CIS and the Arab states.

The Astrakhan plant will be the first Golrang enterprise in Russia, and the investor intends to supply shampoos, washing powders and other household chemicals made by Rosa throughout the country.

Nader Abbaszadeh, the founder of the company, emphasized that the main principle of their holding is to provide consumers with high-quality and environmentally friendly products. “We aim not just to export, but to produce. The first plant to be built here will become a worthy example for further investment of Iranian business in the economy of the Astrakhan region, Russia.”

With a three-shift operation, the production revenue is expected to be more than 2 billion rubles a year, with a net profit of 276 million rubles. The founder of Roza estimates annual tax payments to the budget of the Astrakhan region at 428 million rubles.

According to Sergey Milushkin, the General Director of Lotos SEZ JSC, they started cooperation with Golrang in 2017. The SEZ “Lotos” has been operating for only five years, with 16 residents at present, implementing various industrial projects.

The Lotos Special Economic Zone occupies an area of over 1,000 hectares on the banks of the Volga and has been turned into a dynamically developing industrial and logistics cluster. Investors who can invest at least 120 million rubles in their own production have all the advantages of a preferential tax regime.

The Iranian Consul General in Astrakhan, Mehdi Akuchekian, noted at the capsule-laying ceremony that they pay special attention to the development of interregional cooperation and are ready to provide any support to Roza, as well as other Iranian enterprises interested in opening production in Astrakhan.

The Astrakhan region has long-term friendly business and humanitarian relations with Iran, with the Consulate General, an Iranian trading house, and a branch of an Iranian bank operating in the region today.

Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf Council member states are bothered by several films and series on the Netflix streaming service. Because of the violation of Islamic values, the platform is now threatened with a ban in these conservative countries.

In a joint communiqué on Tuesday, the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, called on the series streaming platform Netflix to stop offering local users content that “ violate Islamic and social values ​​and principles”. They threatened the US company with a ban on their territory. Netflix has not yet responded to a request from the television network CNBC.

Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei might join a potential ban of Netflix too.

The Gulf States justified their request with a “recent observation” that the platform broadcasts video materials and content that violated content control in the Gulf States.

Saudi newspaper Arab News on Tuesday quoted Esra Assery, head of the Saudi General Commission for Audiovisual Media, as saying:

“We will take all legal means to protect the sovereignty and the citizens and residents of the Kingdom from any intellectual attack aimed at damaging its society, values ​​and safety while educating and protecting future generations from harmful content affect negatively.”

According to Assery, the Gulf Council will reverse its decision if Netflix complies with the request to remove the content banned in the six Gulf states. Should such content continue to be accessible to users in these Arab countries, necessary legal measures would follow.

Neither Saudi Arabia nor the Gulf Council revealed exactly what content had offended local authorities. Netflix has not commented on the matter either. Nonetheless, Saudi broadcaster Al Ekhbariya TV on Tuesday accused the streaming service of promoting gay issues. This has a negative impact on the younger generation.

Other Western media companies had previously been warned by the authorities in the Gulf States against the distribution of homosexual content. In June, the animated film Lightyear was banned from showing in 14 Islamic countries in the Middle East and Asia because in the film two female characters kiss. In July, the UAE government ordered online retailer Amazon to block search results for LGBTQ products on its website in the country.

A long list of E-numbers can be found on many pre-packaged foods when shopping. Not all of these additives are bad or harmful to health. We have summarized for you which additives you should avoid.

Additives in food: Look out for E-numbers when shopping

E numbers – the “E” stands for “Europe” denote food additives. A total of 300 of these substances are permitted. They have different tasks.

Emulsifiers: These additives are used to connect substances that cannot actually be connected.

• Dyes: They bring color to our food and are supposed to make it look more appetizing.
• Antioxidants: These additives make food last longer. For example, they prevent fats from going rancid.
• Flavor enhancers: As the name suggests, they provide more flavor.
• Sugar substitutes: They serve as a sugar substitute.
• Thickeners: These additives give food a creamy texture, such as ice cream or fruit yoghurt.
• Preservatives: Like antioxidants, they also ensure a longer shelf life, but by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms.

E numbers: The dyes are harmful to health

Sometimes the manufacturers deliberately refrain from listing E numbers and use the name of the additive instead. That’s why we call number and name.

• E102 – Tartrazine (coloring agent): Yellow coloring agent found in custard powder, processed cheese, confectionery, beverages and mustard.
• E104 – Quinoline yellow (dye): Only permitted in small quantities for smoked fish, chewing gum, jelly, sherbet powder and fruit wines.
• E110 – Yellow Orange S (Colouring): Found in salmon substitutes, cheese and wine gums.
• E122 – Azorubine (carmoisine) (coloring agent): Red coloring agent found in sweets and beverages, as well as in instant soups and other convenience foods.
• E123 – Amaranth (coloring agent): Red coloring agent, permitted only for caviar, aperitif wines and spirits.
• E124A – Chochineal Red A (dye): Red dye found in salmon substitutes, chorizo ​​sausage, fruit jelly and other sweets.
• E127 – Erythrosine (coloring agent): Red coloring agent, only permitted for candied cherries, cocktail cherries and fruit salads containing cherries.
• E129 – Allura Red AC (colour): Found in Germany in desserts, beverages and confectionery. Banned in Belgium, Denmark, France, Sweden and Switzerland.
• E142 – Green S (Dye): Green dye that dyes canned peas, beverages and mints green, as well as cosmetics, leather, paper and wool.
• E150C – Ammonia Caramel (Colouring): Colors cola or mustard sauces brown, as well as whisky – by the way, we present the most popular varieties in another article for you.
• E151 – Brilliant Black BN (dye): Used in liquorice and in caviar substitutes, but also in shampoos.
• E154 – Brown FK (dye): Approved only for smoked herring from England, also called “Kippers”.
• E155 – Brown HT (Colouring): Reddish-brown colouring, approved for coloring chocolate, ice cream, cakes, biscuits or other confectionery.
• E173 – Aluminum (colouring agent): Silver-grey coloring agent approved for the decoration of pastries and cakes and for coatings on confectionery.
• E180 – Litholrubin BK (colour): Red colourant, only permitted for cheese rind.
• E239 – Hexamethylenetetramine (preservative): Authorized for only one type of Italian cheese, namely “Provolone”.
• E284 – Boric acid (preservative): Approved for caviar only.
• E285 – Sodium tetraborate (borax) (preservative): As a variant of boric acid, only permitted for caviar.
• E385 – Calcium disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate (Calcium disodium EDTA) (antioxidant): Approved only for margarine, frozen crustaceans and canned and glass preserves.
• E425 – Konjac (thickener): Banned in the EU for jelly confectionery. You can find, for example, glass noodles and Far Eastern specialties.
• E512 – Stannous Chloride (Antioxidant): Approved for canned and glass jars only. It can be found, for example, in canned asparagus.
• E999 – Quillaja Extract (Stabilizer): Only approved for beverages, stabilizes foam. You can find it in cider or ginger ale, for example.

The traditional Milka brand actually comes from Switzerland, but today it belongs to the US group Mondelez (formerly Kraft Foods) and is mainly produced in the German town of Lörrach.

It took three years to develop the new Milka chocolate, says Milka on its own website. “More than 30 chocolate experts from research and development” worked on the new recipe, which was tested by 3,000 consumers.

“In addition to a higher proportion of cocoa from the Cocoa Life sustainability program, the new rounded bar shape adapts even better to your palate and thus offers even more delicate moments of pleasure,” says the manufacturer.

Milka’s famous purple cow now also has a prominent place on the chocolate and is emblazoned on a corner. This is “a loving homage” to the cow, which will be “a proud 50 years old” this year, Milka explains.

“Milka doesn’t taste like Milka anymore. Does everything have to be changed?” asks a Twitter user. Another complains that the new recipe tastes “too much like nougat or noisette” and adds that his “favorite chocolate no longer exists”.

The current status of Halal certification is still not confirmed.

Some Zabiha Halal brand and Maple Lodge Farms brand Chicken products recalled due to undeclared Proteins

The affected products are being recalled from the marketplace because they contain pea protein which is not declared on the label.

The recalled products have been sold nationally.

What you should do

• Check to see if you have recalled products

• Do not consume recalled products to which you are allergic or sensitive as they may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction
• Do not serve, use, sell or distribute recalled products
• Recalled products should be thrown out or returned to the location where they were purchased