The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has recalled Ola-Ola Authentic Pounded Yam (Iyan) IYANINSTANT after finding that it contains undeclared milk, an allergen that can trigger serious reactions in sensitive consumers.

The recall, issued on 26 June, was classified as a food recall warning involving an undeclared allergen.

According to the CFIA, the product is being removed from the market because it contains milk but does not list it on the label.

“The affected product is being recalled from the marketplace because it contains milk, which is not declared on the label,” the CFIA said.

The recalled product is sold in a 1.815kg package with UPC 6 50655 49687 3. The recall applies to all product codes where milk is not declared as an ingredient.

The agency warned that consumers who are allergic to or sensitive to milk should not consume the product, as it could cause a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.

Consumers were advised not to use, sell, serve or distribute the recalled product and to either dispose of it safely or return it to the store where it was purchased.

The CFIA said the recall was initiated following a consumer complaint.

As of the recall notice, no allergic reactions linked to the product had been reported.

The agency added that it is carrying out a food safety investigation, which could result in additional products being recalled if necessary. It is also verifying that the affected product is being removed from retail shelves.

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Background

Milk is one of Canada’s priority food allergens and must be clearly declared on food labels under the country’s food safety regulations. Undeclared allergens are among the leading reasons for food recalls in Canada because they pose significant health risks to individuals with food allergies.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency regularly issues recalls to protect consumers and monitors the effectiveness of product removals from the marketplace.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has launched an international clinical trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to evaluate two experimental treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a rare form of Ebola, as the country battles an ongoing outbreak.

The trial, known as the Platform Adaptive Randomised Trial for New and Repurposed Filovirus TreatmentS (PARTNERS), began enrolling patients on Thursday, WHO said in a statement.

The study will assess whether the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir can reduce deaths among people infected with the Bundibugyo virus. Researchers will also investigate whether combining the two medicines provides better outcomes than using either treatment alone.

The trial is sponsored by WHO and coordinated by the Institut National pour la Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and other international research and humanitarian partners.

Search for effective treatment

The trial comes as the DRC continues to battle a Bundibugyo virus outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people and claimed 440 lives, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatment.

WHO said there are currently no approved medicines specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease, although treatments exist for some other Ebola virus species.

“The trial comes as the DRC continues to grapple with a Bundibugyo virus outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people. Nearly 210 patients have recovered, while about 440 people have died, underscoring the urgent need for effective treatment options.”

According to the organisation, the WHO Technical Advisory Group selected MBP134 and remdesivir after reviewing available scientific evidence, including laboratory findings, safety data and lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks.

Participants in the study will be monitored for at least 28 days after enrolment while receiving supportive care, including fluid replacement, oxygen therapy, blood pressure management and pain relief in line with WHO treatment guidelines.

WHO Director-General, Tedros  Ghebreyesus, said the trial offers hope to patients and affected communities.

“The PARTNERS trial, established with national authorities and scientific partners in record time, offers real hope that we can deliver concrete results for and with the communities at the heart of the outbreak.”

He noted that while some patients recover without specific treatment, effective medicines could significantly improve survival.

Why the trial matters

WHO said the adaptive design of the study allows researchers to add and evaluate new treatments as scientific evidence emerges, enabling a faster response during disease outbreaks.

Amanda Rojek, PARTNERS Trial Operations Lead at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, University of Oxford, said one of the major lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks was that research should be conducted alongside emergency response efforts rather than after outbreaks have ended.

She said the study could generate evidence quickly enough to guide treatment decisions during the current outbreak, potentially producing results within months.

The Director-General of the Institut National pour la Recherche Biomédicale, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, said integrating the trial into routine patient care would allow patients to access promising investigational therapies while helping scientists improve responses to future outbreaks.

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“By integrating this trial into clinical care, we are giving patients access to promising investigational treatments while generating the evidence needed to improve care for current and future outbreaks,” he said.

The DRC’s Health Minister, Samuel Kamba, described the launch of the PARTNERS trial as a major milestone for the country’s public health response, expressing optimism that it could identify more effective treatments, save lives during the current outbreak and strengthen global preparedness for future Ebola outbreaks.

Ebola

Bundibugyo virus disease is one of the six known species of the Ebola virus. It was first identified in Uganda in 2007 and causes symptoms similar to other forms of Ebola, including fever, severe weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which licensed vaccines and treatments exist, there are currently no approved vaccines or medicines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo virus.