1.   During an interview at his office here, Sharma called attention to an article about iodized salt in a recent issue of Manthan, a magazine he edits.

2.   Even so, fleur de sel is not being used in the same way as regular iodized salt, kosher salt or even other sea salts.

3.   Though all but three Indian states have banned the sale of noniodized salt, iodized salt is still not universally available.

4.   Alarmed by the high incidence of iodine deficiency disorders among Filipinos, the Senate has passed a bill requiring that only iodized salt be sold in the market.

5.   Americans, for instance, eat iodized salt, the easiest way to fight iodine deficiency.

6.   Caught in the crossfire Thursday, the government promised to bring down the price of iodized salt through state subsidies.

7.   China has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to make iodized salt and iodine tablets available to school children and marriage-age women.

8.   Experts say iodized salt is the cheapest iodine source in a country where iodine deficiency is attributed to lack of access to iodine-rich food such as seafood.

9.   Introducing the new salt would be relatively easy if it can piggyback on the production and distribution networks already in place for iodized salt, he said.

10.   Iodized salt at affordable prices will soon be available to every Filipino under a law signed Tuesday by President Fidel Ramos.