Growth　of　ice　crystals　can　cause　serious　problems,　such　as　frozen　products　deterioration,　road　damage,　energy　losses,　and　safety　risks　of　human　beings.　Antifreeze　peptides　(AFPs),　a　healthy　and　effective　cryoprotectant,　have　great　potential　as　ice　crystal　growth　inhibitors　for　a　variety　of　frozen　products.　In　this　review,　methods　and　technologies　for　the　production,　purification,　evaluation,　and　characterization　of　AFPs　are　comprehensively　summarized.　First,　this　review　describes　the　preparation　of　AFPs,　including　the　methods　of　enzymatic　hydrolysis,　chemical　synthesis,　and　microbial　fermentation.　Next,　this　review　introduces　the　major　methods　by　which　to　evaluate　AFPs’　antifreeze　activity,　including　nanoliter　osmometer,　differential　scanning　calorimetry,　splat-cooling,　the　biovaluation　model,　and　novel　technology.　Moreover,　this　review　presents　an　overview　of　the　molecular　characteristics,　structure–function　relationships,　and　action　mechanisms　of　AFPs.　Furthermore,　advances　in　the　application　of　AFPs　to　frozen　food,　including　frozen　dough,　meat　products,　fruits,　vegetable　products,　and　dairy,　are　summarized　and holistically　analyzed.　Finally,　challenges　of　AFPs　and　future　perspectives　on　their　use　are　also　discussed.　An　understanding　of　the　production,　structure–function　relationships,　mechanisms　and　applications　of　AFPs　provides　inspiration　for　further　research　into　the　use　of　AFPs　in　food　science　and　food　nutrition　applications.　©　2020　Institute　of　Food　Technologists®