It's still safe to eat, but that's when you might want to start cooking with it instead of just adding it to water or milk." But here's the thing: the stamped-on expiration date isn't the best way to tell, according to Mobin. Scroll down for the answer—plus learn what happens if you eat protein powder past the expiration date. Americans spent $4.7 billion on protein supplements 2 years ago. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-protein-powder-expire If not by the expiration date, how can you tell if the powder is good-to-eat or better in the trash? Again though, these are just overall guidelines and it’s possible that it may still be perfectly okay. Well, as with most bodybuilding and fitness questions, there’s no single black and white answer that will apply in every situation. ... 1–2 years: 24 oz. If you're considering protein powder for kids, there are some important things you should know first. You really don’t want to drink yours once it’s expired – it’d be the equivalent of drinking gone off milk! Now, if the protein powder has been opened and was already previously used around the time that it was first purchased, then we’re dealing with a different story… I stopped lifting weights for awhile and my protein powder expired. So rather than giving a single definite guideline here, I’ll just go over some of the main points to consider…, “Is Expired Protein Powder Still Safe To Use?” – The Main Points To Consider. When baking with expired baking powder, your dough may not rise. Toss it. Out of date protein powder So I have some unflavoured Impact Whey that has past its Best Before End, which was 10/16. The expiration date is more for when taste goes than the … There’s no way to know for sure, however, I would much rather err on the side of caution and simply purchase a fresh tub in this situation just to be safe. Which makes us wonder: Do these dates really mean anything? I assume it might just start degrading a little and would still be fine to eat but wasn't sure. Whey protein provides all the essential amino acids and is easy to digest, although supplemental protein for toddlers usually isn't needed. So long as it's not showing any of the above signs of being spoiled, it's not necessarily dangerous to consume protein powder past its expiration date. First off, before doing anything, you’ll obviously want to examine the powder firsthand to look for any obvious signs that it’s gone bad. What can happen to expired protein powder is that it'll stop tasting so great, he says. Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I\'ll get back to you as soon as I can. NO IT IS NOT SAFE, THROW IT OUT. Whether you're looking to bulk up or slim down, fill up or stop snacking, there's a protein powder for that. How Long Can You Keep Protein Powder? It’s the north star that’ll guide you to the truth. Protein powder usually has an expiration date about a year after the date of manufacturing – when shopping, be sure to check this to make sure you don’t buy a tub of powder that has been sitting around for a while – but if stored properly, protein powder may still be potent and edible for a few months up to a year after that expiration date. In that case, there’s already been a chance for moisture and bacteria to get inside the tub and multiply, and this becomes a particular issue of concern if the protein has been sitting in a warm place for a lengthy period of time. Expired baking powder is safe to use after its expiration date, but may have lost its potency. "All forms of protein powder have an end of shelf life, and can expire," says Richards. Most powders will be usable for 18 months after the expiration date provided it was properly stored. Lose some of the lysine and you'll lose some of the protein content of the mix. For approximately 6 to 18 months after its expiration, the powder will still be edible provided the proper environment has been maintained, and it may not spoil for over a year past the expiration date. "While I don't recommend eating foods past their expiration date," says Mobin, "I'd be lying if I said I immediately throw out my protein powders the second they go past their expiration date if there's no other sign of them being expired.". Thanks for checking out my article! Protein powder can last for a year beyond a best-by date if stored properly. \"Expiration dates are something people find confusing and with good reason,\" says Don Schaffner, a professor of food science at Rutgers University. "Expiration dates are just an estimate," she says. “Let’s take protein powder for instance. Sport drinks, how long do sport drinks last? I thought of it like you once, I had whey protein sitting in my cabinet for a few years because I forgot about it, it was on the back thats why I didnt notice it. The truth is that protein powder usually doesn’t spoil until years after the printed expiration date. or a product that has additional carbohydrates and fats mixed in, such as a meal replacement powder or a weight gainer. And "moisture makes it easier for things like microbes and bacteria to grow in the container, which can make it go bad more quickly," she says. That amount is expected to rise to nearly $8 billion by 2020, according to market research firm Euromonitor. Our protein powders are clearly labelled with an expiration date or ‘best used by’ date. The shelf life of sport drinks is influenced by a variety of factors, such as the processing method, best by date, exposure to light and heat, and how the sport drink was stored. I have a bag of cut pasta from Puglia that I purchased in Italy a few years ago. How Much Muscle Can You Gain Naturally, And How Fast? All Rights Reserved. It is now past its sell-by date by (gasp..) a few years. The date is only there to help you. Peek into the container—see any blue, dark-grey, or green-colored particles? Protein powder and protein shake. So when you look on a nutrition label “Total Calories per Serving” is derived from protein, carb and fat contents. Whey protein is probably the most popular, ... for a year or even more. That's because, according to research, overtime sugar can interact with protein, and cause can breakdown of lysine, which is one of the amino acids present in protein powder. Yes, protein powder can expire—and that includes all kinds of protein powder: pea, hemp, whey, and so on. If it doesn't smell off and there's no obvious signs of mold or moisture, do a little taste test. There is an actual expiration date stamped on the tub or bag or it may say “best used by” date. Another downside of eating old protein powder? It was kept in my closet, so it has been in a cool and dark place. So, if the expired protein has already been previously opened, I would be far more cautious with it and I personally wouldn’t consume it any further than about 6 months past the expiration date. To answer the question of how long does protein powder last, does protein powder go bad, or the shelf life of protein powder, a variety of factors must be examined. Macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat) each contain calories. Expired baking powder is safe to use after its expiration date, but may have lost its potency. Uniform coloration like this is a sign that old protein powder is okay to eat. Whatever the reason, you've started pounding protein shakes to boost your daily intake of the macronutrient—without having to load up on boiled eggs. “BEAR MODE” VS. As long as it's been stored properly, a protein powder that's past its "best buy" date won't go rancid overnight or make you keel over. Protein can sit on the shelf of a retailer for months, even longer in some cases if it’s a slow-moving product. My suggestion is that if you do find an expired tub of protein powder that you aren’t sure about, examine it firsthand, take the points in this article into consideration, weigh it off against the cost of just buying a new tub, and then make the decision for yourself. i myself have ran out of protein and used 2 year old gold standard whey for a few days and nothing out of the ordinary happened The way to tell if your protein powder has spoiled is simple, if there is a bad aroma coming form the tub, it is safe to say it is out of date, also, if there are clumps of powder in the tub then you can assume that some moisture has gotten in and therefore it is best to play it safe and throw it away. Most protein powders last around two years before going bad. 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