UPDATE 1-Peanut butter linked to U.S. Salmonella outbreak

The CDC said preliminary analysis suggest peanut butter as a likely source of the outbreak. Common brand names of peanut butter sold in grocery stores do not appear to be associated with the outbreak, the CDC said.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and state health officials have been trying to trace the source of the outbreak.

An outbreak of salmonella was linked to Peter Pan brand peanut butter in 2007. ConAgra Foods Inc(CAG.N) closed a Georgia plant after more than 300 people became ill.

Salmonella can cause abdominal cramping, diarrhea and fever and it can kill the very young and the very old.

Every year, approximately 40,000 people are reported ill with salmonella in the United States, the CDC says, but it said many more cases are never reported. (Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)