Antifreeze polypeptides, antifreeze compositions including the polypeptides, nucleotides encoding the antifreeze polypeptides, methods of making antifreeze compositions, and methods of inhibiting ice crystal growth are provided herein. The peptides are based on the primary sequence of collagen and include those having a molecular weight between about 500-7000 Da. The peptides preferably include cationic polypeptides. The methods of making antifreeze compositions include digesting collagen or gelatin into hydrolysates with peptides having molecular weights between about 500-7000 Da. The digestions are performed with proteases and/or non-enzymatic hydrolysis. The methods of inhibiting ice crystal growth include adding the antifreeze polypeptides or compositions described herein to a composition to be frozen. The methods may be used to inhibit ice crystal growth in frozen food products.
