La Jolla, CA - Nautilus Mineral Waters of America, Inc. today announced the launch of "Kamikaze," a caffeinated soy sauce designed to combat post-sushi drowsiness. Richard H. Davis, President and CEO of Beverage Marketing USA and Nautilus, believes the product will offer a solution to "Inemuri," the state of being half-asleep often experienced after consuming sushi.

Davis explains that Japanese soy sauce is naturally high in L-glutamate, which, when combined with enzymes in raw fish, converts into Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). "High levels of GABA may be linked to 'Inemuri', the half-awake half asleep state," says Davis. "Sleeping-but-not-totally-asleep is an epidemic in Japan."

Davis, a combat veteran, claims he invented the caffeinated soy sauce while serving as a Merchant Marine in Japan. He described his invention as "Kamikaze bug juice." He added, "Falling asleep at the wheel after eating too much sushi and soy sauce is like driving under the influence of a tryptophan-laced Turkey. GABA-induced sleep is a serious side effect of sushi and soy sauce that can render a driver incapable of operating a motor vehicle safely."

According to the company, Kamikaze offers a unique flavor profile. "Kamikaze's 'essence of taste' is like the salty Pacific ocean, followed by the delicious impact of the sweet savory 'umami' flavor due to the addition of monosodium glutamate (MSG) from Ajinomoto, and finally the slight bitterness from the naturally infused caffeine, which is hard to perceive due to the masking effect of the microbe fermentation tastes," the company wrote in a press release. They state that the overall flavor results from a balance among different taste components.

Nautilus is currently in talks with major North American retailers, including a national wholesale club store chain and a major convenience store chain, and finalizing marketing and distribution plans for the product launch. The company says it is engaged in the private-label bottled water industry, with both licensed and in-house brands bottled at strategic locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe.

The company does include this disclaimer: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."