Beijing (CNN) - Chinese shoppers in Beijing and Shanghai cleared salt from supermarket shelves Thursday amid fears of a potential radiation crisis from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Government officials and experts attempted to calm fears by emphasizing that radiation levels in 41 cities across China remain normal.

Staff from multiple branches of the French supermarket chain Carrefour reported that their supplies of salt have been sold out since Thursday morning in Beijing.

A Shanghai branch reported the same.

Small, local and independently-run grocery stores in Beijing told CNN they have also run out of salt supplies for the first time in recent memory.

Read the full story "Chinese scramble to buy salt as radiation fears grow" on CNN Asia.