Tasting food

food Laws: If a person observing fast intentionally swallows something which remained in between his teeth, his fast is invalidated.

If a person wants to observe a fast, it is not necessary for him to use a toothpick before the Adhan of Fajr prayers. However, if he knows that some particles of food which have remained in between his teeth, will go down into his stomach during the day, then he must clean his teeth with toothpick.

Swallowing saliva does not invalidate a fast, although it may have collected in one's mouth owing to thoughts about sour things etc.

There is no harm in swallowing one's phlegm or mucous from head and chest as long as it does not come up to one's mouth. However, if it reaches one's mouth, the obligatory precaution is that one should not swallow it.

Chewing food to feed a child or a bird and tasting food etc. which does not usually go down the throat, will not invalidate the fast, even if it happens to reach there inadvertently. However, if a person knows beforehand that it will reach the throat, his fast becomes void, and he should observe its qadha and it is also obligatory upon him to give Kaffarah.