Image courtesy: Wikipedia

I came across an article the other day that said there was a limit on the amount of powder you can pack in your carry-on. I was surprised because I’d never heard of such of a restriction. A restriction like that may not be a problem for me, but, say you’re on some sort of health kick and are drinking protein powder (cough – Amanda) it might be a problem.

The TSA website says “powder-like substances greater than 12 oz. / 350 mL must be placed in a separate bin for X-ray screening. They may require additional screening and containers may need to be opened. For your convenience, we encourage you to place non-essential powders greater than 12 oz. in checked bags.” The site also says that the final decision is up to the TSA officer at the checkpoint.

The powder-like substance not only applies to protein powder but also talc and powder-based makeup. The main exemptions are for baby formula and human remains.

If you are carrying acceptable amounts of powders you may keep them in your carry-on, though TSA screeners may ask you to place them in a separate bin for screening if they obstruct X-ray machines from getting clear images.

We hope that helps give you a heads up if you plan on traveling by air in the near future.