Terms we need to know "Best by date" and "The expiration date"
The expiration date and BBD - Best before date - Best by date is the last day on which the product will have full potential and effectiveness with composition tables. This means that the manufacturer can guarantee the quality of the product with certainty until the expiration date. Almost all supplements (protein, creatine, amino acids, etc.) use these terms.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require supplements to have expiration dates. However, in order to protect the quality and benefits of higher sales, manufacturers set expiration dates for supplements. They test their products rigorously to make sure they can successfully guarantee the strength of the ingredients on the labels by the expiration date.
Can whey protein and other supplements break down?
Protein powder is a popular substance used by people who train or aim to gain or lose weight, usually added to shakes or smoothies as a dietary supplement. The usual ingredients found with protein powder are milk, soy, eggs and ingredients for maximum effect, and these are all things that can expire. Although protein powder itself has a much longer shelf life than these substances alone, protein also has a time in which it should be used.
What is the shelf life of proteins and other supplements?
Protein powder and other supplements usually have an expiration date of about one year after the date of manufacture. When you buy, check that date to make sure you are not buying an expired product - but if stored properly, supplements can still be effective and edible for several months to a year after the expiration date.
How to store and store supplements?
A distinction should be made here between supplements that are not open and those that are open.
Supplements from top manufacturers such as Optimum Nutrition, BSN, Muscletech, etc. are packed in conditions that are ideal for the production of products that should last a long time and maintain freshness and quality for a long time. This is achieved in conditions where there is no moisture in the air, in completely sterile conditions and sterile packaging. Products produced in this way, if stored as prescribed by the manufacturer, in a cool and dry place, can last and maintain quality for a long time, even above the expiration date.
When the supplement is opened, the product loses its properties faster if stored for a longer period.
When storing supplements, always read the special storage conditions indicated on the label. Generally speaking, supplements are dietary supplements so they should be stored as food. Cold and dry conditions are best; chilled conditions can also prolong the period in which they remain fresh and of good quality. Hot and / or humid conditions, such as those in bathrooms and kitchens, can shorten product life.
CONCLUSION
Supplements after the expiration date prescribed on the product packaging if they are not open, if stored properly, in principle can be used for a couple of months and even up to a year after the expiration date, depending on which supplement of course. After the expiration date, most supplements do not become toxic, so we recommend that if you buy the product before the expiration date, ask your dealer where and how the product was stored. If you have an open expired supplement, first check the smell, color, powder consistency and finally the taste.