Hello and welcome to MedHelp's forums. Sorry this happened to you. Sadly, I've had it happen as well. Not often but once is enough. It's quite uncomfortable! It happens often if we cough or sneeze while chewing. The uvula works with your soft palette to prevent food from entering the nasal cavity when swallowing. These work together to close the nasopharynx. Nasal regurgitation can happen if there is a malfunction in this process. All of the muscles must act in sync to prevent food from entering the nasal cavity when swallowing and for some reason yours didn't. Here's an old post here at medhelp in which National Jewish Research Center weighed in stating that this can happen without coughing. If it happens again, please see your doctor. By the way, do you have any respiratory issues such as COPD?