What do you think - can protein powder past its expiration date still be used? A couple of months past?

I'm wondering if it might be sort of like what I've been told about medications - it's less potent past the expiration date. 

I bet you would be fine for a couple months... A lot of those dates are to appease the government.

I bought a crap ton of gnc lean bars that were 90% off - i think they expire in april/may- we will see if I eat them all by the expiration.

If it's not green and smelly, it's ok to eat.

In fact, avoid anything green, except jelly beans and M&Ms.

Well, according to a random food scientist from Penn State interviewed by Men's Health, it's safe but less effective after the expiration date. Personally, I'd toss it.  You are getting all the calories, but not all of the benefit of the protein.  Who needs that?

From Men's Health:

Is It Safe to Use Expired Protein Powder?

Protein powders don't spoil the way meat or dairy does, because a dry environment makes it nearly impossible for microbes to grow, says Bob Roberts, Ph.D., a professor of food science at Penn State University.

So unless you're storing your canisters in a warm, humid place (like the bathroom or your gym locker), you're fine on that front.

As for the muscle-building mojo of protein powder, it does diminish after the use-by date has passed. You can blame a chemical reaction called Maillard browning: The protein reacts with sugar left over from when the whey was extracted from milk, resulting in a gradual breakdown of the amino acid lysine.

"If you lose lysine, then the powder will not be as complete of a protein," says Roberts.

Only a day or two past the expiration date? Put a bit of it on your tongue. Another telltale sign of Maillard browning is a fade in flavor, says Roberts. If you taste cardboard, toss it.

Tried and true method re questionable food:  between both our elderly mothers and me, my DH is the guinea pig.  Conclusion:  either he has developed an iron clad stomach or things can go quite a ways past their prime.  We all know expired protein powder smell and taste can not be the determining factor.  From my experience with Unjury customer service, they likely will exchange expired powder for new powder no questions asked.  Maybe other manufacturers would to?

my veterinarian once told me that pills can last fairly far beyond their expiration date.  Liquids, creams, gels, and ointments do not.  I would think protein powder would be more like a pill, but then, what do I know.  You may be right - it may  just not be as potent the further past the expiration date you go.

if powder is kept closed - it should be Ok, bu****ch for any contamination. 

also - make one drink - then watch if you get sick... or the drink has "funny" smell or test. 

Depends how it was processed - some powders can have more fat - that can get oxidised.  and go bad. 

or get contaminated with bacteria or moisture... not good... 

personally Anny I wold toss it. I know they are really expensive but I would hate to see you sick!  I am also one of those kind of people that anything that has an expiry date on it the second that expiry date passes it get tossed out.  I just can't get it past my mind that I am eating something "expired"  totally a weird "Daisy-ism"

But I say toss it

If the protein powder has any oils in it, I would toss it.  I bought the Abouttime Nighttime Recovery in peanut butter flavour, and it was 1 month away from expiring.  The peanuts in it had gone rancid and the taste was vile.  I contacted the company and they said that you should buy their protein powders with an expiry date of a minimum of 6 months ahead because they have a natural product without any preservatives.  It was the grossest taste and I spent the day vomiting, after having only 1 gulp.  The store where I bought it refunded my money, but the company that makes it blamed me for buying a product one month away from expiry.