Brasil Foods gets praise from Barron's

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - Brasil Foods, the Brazilian food giant to be formed by Perdigao's PRGA3.SA planned takeover of smaller rival Sadia SDIA4.SA, is a "tantalizing" investment opportunity according to the latest issue of weekly business publication Barron's.

The company was described by Barron's as an investment play on both Brazil's newly energized consumer economy and its role as a major commodities exporter.

Brasil Foods will get about 45 percent of its annual sales from exporting beef, pork and other commodity foods, mostly to Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The rest of its business will be in the hot local market.

The new company should be a powerhouse, rivaling the likes of Smithfield Foods (SFD.N) and Tyson Foods (TSN.N), Barron's said, adding that few observers expect Brazil's antitrust agency to block the deal. (Reporting by Tim Dobbyn; Editing by Phil Berlowitz)