The nuclear crisis in Japan has sparked a buying frenzy of iodized salt in adjacent countries, including China and Taiwan. In response, the Taiwan Salt Company, or Taiyen, announced earlier this week that it has stopped processing foreign orders for the product in order to meet domestic needs.

Consumers in both Taiwan and China are flocking to supermarkets and salt specialty outlets to purchase iodine salt in the wake of the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.

Taiyen says that its iodized salt sales have increased by nearly 80% over the past week, and that it has also received numerous telephone inquiries from abroad.

In light of domestic demand, Taiyen has decided to halt exports of iodized salt for the time being and give the domestic market top priority.

At the same time, the company will also do everything it can to maintain prices at current levels and monitor distributors and retailers to prevent hoarding.

According to experts, excessive consumption of iodine will not protect from radiation poisoning, but also disrupt thyroid functions.