A shouting match between a Taichung city councillor and the deputy mayor over tainted cooking oil halted a council session, exposing a weak food safety inspection system.

• Democratic Progressive Party councillor Chen Yu-jung demanded the city inspect big cooking oil makers every three months.
• Deputy mayor Cheng Chao-hsin refused, saying reports from outside testers are enough and the food safety law is being rewritten first.
• Both accused each other of protecting Chung Lien Oils, the company at the center of a bad-oil scandal.
• School meal suppliers say they are still thousands of barrels of oil short with the new term about to start.
• The row ran three minutes, the chair paused the session, and a thrown placard hit another councillor.

Outlook: The city is unlikely to promise surprise inspections until the national food safety law is amended.