i'm currently using powdered creatine that i bought awhile ago (somewhere over a year i think). Since I started weightlifting again it seems to have turned a bit blocky, as in the powder is all stuck together and has to be broken up before I spoon it into a glass. There was a "best-before" date on it somewhere but I can't make sense of it because of the strange print, so I was basically wondering if it will still be ok to use?
I'm not sure if it used to smell of anything but it does at the moment. There's still no taste to it though.

Mine expires in 2009, and I bought it some months ago. I'm guessing it's not expired, these things tend to last pretty long. Your creatine has probably been exposed to moist; powders have a tendency to block up when exposed to moist.

Shouldn't it say once opened consume within xyz days? Whilst I don't envisage using creatine or any other protein supplement, every product is supposed to have an expiry date and consumption by date if opened (unless its a grey import that can flout the rules).

well it has a heading saying "best before:" in english and many other languages, but then no date after it :s

it's MET-Rx though so it's not like it's some kinda dodgey brand.

creatine stays 'safe' as long as its not getting wet, which can cause it to break down into useless creatinine.

if your kidneys don't work right, creatinine can be a concern...but you shouldn't be on creatine if your kidneys aren't 'normal' to begin with.