Pet Treat Gels & Soft Chews Using Apple, Pumpkin & Berry Purees
Soft chews and gel treats are one of the fastest-growing treat formats because they are easy to portion, highly palatable, and flexible for functional positioning (digestive support, calming, joint support, etc.). Fruit and vegetable purees—especially apple, pumpkin, and certain berry systems— are useful tools in these formats. They can add real-ingredient identity, contribute to texture and body, help manage sweetness perception, and support label narratives consumers recognize. But in production, “just adding puree” is not enough. Purees change water activity, viscosity, and gel behavior, and those changes can make or break shelf life. This guide explains practical formulation and processing strategies for incorporating aseptic purees into pet treat gels and soft chews, with an emphasis on repeatable line performance and stable finished products.
For the big picture on fruit/veg roles in pet food, see Topic 077. For pumpkin and sweet potato specifics (texture and digestibility), see Topic 079. For pet food documentation and buyer requirements, see Topic 081.
Why purees work well in soft treats
Soft chews and gels are texture-driven products. Purees naturally carry solids, pectin/fiber (depending on the fruit/veg), and a “real food” mouthfeel that can make a chew feel richer and more premium. Apple puree can contribute mild sweetness perception and a familiar aroma note. Pumpkin puree is widely associated with digestive support positioning and provides body and fiber-like texture. Berry purees may add color cues and a “superfood” narrative, though in pet treats their sensory impact is often subtle. The main advantage is that these purees can serve as both a functional component and a marketing component—if the system is designed for stability.
Key manufacturing variable: water activity (aw) and shelf stability
Soft chews and gels frequently target a semi-moist texture, which means water is present. Water creates microbial opportunity unless controlled through water activity (aw), preservatives, process lethality, and packaging barrier. Purees add water, and that can push aw upward if you do not compensate with solids and binders. Many treat failures show up as mold growth, sticky surface sweating, or texture drift over time. The practical approach is to treat puree inclusion as a water balance problem: every percent of puree changes the moisture profile, so the binder and solids strategy must be adjusted accordingly.
Texture systems: gels vs soft chews (choose the right structure)
“Gel treats” and “soft chews” are often grouped together, but they behave differently in production. Gel treats are typically deposited or filled into forms and rely on a gel network that sets cleanly. Soft chews may be extruded or deposited, then conditioned or dried to reach the target bite. Purees can support both formats, but the stabilizing system differs. In gel systems, the puree’s solids and acidity can change gel strength and set time. In chew systems, puree influences cohesiveness, elasticity, and how the product dries or conditions. The best starting point is to define the desired bite profile and then select puree format and specs to support it.
Apple puree: flavor support and “binder-like” behavior
Apple puree is often used because it is familiar, mild, and stable. It can contribute natural sweetness perception without making the product taste “fruity” to humans, and it can help with cohesion in some chew systems due to its solids and pectin presence. Apple puree is also a common “base” ingredient in mixed fruit systems. From a procurement perspective, apple purees can vary in solids and viscosity, so specifying °Brix/solids and viscosity range helps avoid texture drift.
Pumpkin puree: digestive positioning and body
Pumpkin puree is a staple in digestive-positioned treats. It provides a distinctive texture contribution and can support “fiber” messaging. The formulation challenge is that pumpkin can increase viscosity significantly, which affects pumping, depositing, and extrusion behavior. Pumpkin lots can also vary in viscosity due to cultivar and processing differences. If your line is sensitive, lock a viscosity spec and validate performance on your equipment.
For deeper guidance on pumpkin and sweet potato, see Topic 079.
Berry purees: color cues and narrative—handle carefully
Berry purees may be used for premium positioning (“with berries”), subtle aroma complexity, and sometimes a darker color cue. However, berry systems can be more variable and may carry pH-sensitive pigments (anthocyanins), which can shift color depending on formulation conditions. In many pet treats, color is less critical than in human beverages, but if you rely on berry color as a cue, you must validate shelf stability. Also consider that some berry notes may be less relevant to pet palatability than to human perception, so focus on what the animal will prefer, not what looks attractive to the owner.
Processing workflow: mixing, heating, depositing/extrusion, drying/conditioning
Most soft chew and gel treat lines share a common workflow: controlled mixing to hydrate binders and distribute purees, heating to develop the structure (and sometimes provide lethality), depositing or extrusion, then drying/conditioning to achieve the target texture and aw. Purees influence each step: they change viscosity during mixing, they can alter heating profiles, and they can shift drying time because water binding changes. When scaling from bench to plant, treat puree inclusion as a process variable and adjust set points accordingly.
Palatability considerations: dogs vs cats
Dogs and cats differ in palatability drivers. Many cat treats rely heavily on animal-protein aromas; fruit/veg roles may be more functional or label-oriented. Dog treats often accept a wider range of flavor profiles. If the product is intended for cats, use fruit/veg more carefully and validate acceptance early. In all cases, fruit and vegetable systems are usually supportive ingredients—palatability still tends to be dominated by meat, fat, and savory cues.
Micro and storage posture: aseptic helps, but handling still matters
Aseptic purees are valuable for treat plants because they simplify storage and reduce spoilage risk compared with open, refrigerated fruit slurries. But once opened and connected, handling practices become critical: sanitation, time-in-use rules, and correct storage conditions prevent contamination. For soft treats, the finished product’s aw and packaging barrier often determine shelf success more than the puree itself. Treat your puree program as part of your HACCP and preventive controls plan.
For storage and shelf-life handling in pet food plants, see Topic 084.
Procurement specs and documentation: what to lock down
To avoid line and texture surprises, define specs that protect performance: puree format (aseptic preferred for many plants), °Brix/solids range, viscosity range, particle size/pulp parameters (if relevant), pH/acidity (important for stability and preservative effectiveness), packaging format (drum/tote/bag-in-box with fitments), and required documentation (COA, allergen statement, country of origin). If you run multiple plants or co-manufacturers, standardizing these specs is especially valuable.
For pet-food-specific documentation requirements, see Topic 081. For bulk packaging formats, see Topic 096.
Next steps
If you share your treat format (gel cup, deposited chew, extruded chew), target texture and aw, intended animal (dog/cat), inclusion goal (digestive support, premium positioning), process method (deposit/extrusion + drying), and packaging needs, PFVN can recommend apple/pumpkin/berry puree options and specification controls that support stable production. Use Request a Quote or visit Contact. You can also browse Products and Bulk Juice Concentrates.
Continue reading: Topic 079 — Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Purees • Back to Academy index
Previous article:
Topic 077 — Fruit & Vegetable Ingredients in Pet Food
Academy index: All 100 industrial application guides
Next article:
Topic 079 — Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Purees