## 1 Introduction  
Consumers' demand for healthy foods has increased significantly in recent years; hence, there is interest in developing novel foods with distinct health benefits. Currently, a great number of novel functional foods are available, with dairy products representing an important segment of this market. Fermentation is the oldest and most important method of food processing, which leads to natural preservation. During the fermentation process, complex organic molecules and complex substances are converted into other simpler molecules through the action of various enzymes. These substances are likely to provide the final product with antimicrobial properties due to the production of antimicrobial metabolites, such as bacteriocins, but also desirable organoleptic characteristics due to the properties of specific microorganisms [1]. In fact, some of these microorganisms may also provide benefits for human health, either because of their competition with various pathogenic bacteria or because of their possible probiotic activity. The effects of fermentation on the technological, organoleptic and nutritional properties of milk drinks are well-established. Fermented milk drinks are not regarded as a rich source of polyphenols and antioxidants; hence, the production of novel enhanced dairy drinks using the extracts of medicinal plants/fruit or even their by-products have recently attracted more attention in order to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers [2, 3]. There are few studies reporting on the development of bioactive milk-based drinks enriched with plant extracts, such as strawberry pulp (_Fragaria \(\times\) ananassa_), thistle (_Silbyum marianum_ L.), hawthorn (_Crataegus monogyna_), sage (_Salvia officinalis_ L.), marjoram (_Origamum vulgare_ L.), lemon balm (_Melissa officinalis_ L.), mint (_Mentha piperita_ L.), lavender (_Lavandula angustifolia_ L.) and rosemary (_Rosmarinus officinalis_ L.). In these studies, the addition of plant extracts to milk significantly increased the concentration of bioactive components, with high total phenolic and flavonoid contents and, therefore, high antioxidant activity [4; 5]. In addition of the improvement of the physicochemical properties, the rheological properties were also improved in the enriched products compared to the controls. Some of those milk drinks were fermented, and the lactic acid bacteria used for fermentation were viable throughout their shelf life. In general, when a fiber addition was made (e.g., inulin), the lactic acid bacteria improved not only the antioxidant activity but also the antidiabetic activity of the developed fermented milk [4]. The _Rosaceae_ family comprises well-known fruits such as apples (_Malus domestica_), peaches (_Prunus persica_), strawberries (_Fragraria \(\times\) ananassa_), etc., as well as some underutilized wild fruits, such as common medlar (_Mespilus germancia_) and Mediterranean hawthorn (_Crataegus azarolus_). Their extracts contain bioactive compounds, such as anthocyanins and flavonoids, and therefore, they may promote human health due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities. In fact, several of these extracts were used in traditional medicine by people in Southeastern Europe, Turkey and Iran, mainly because of their antidiabetic, diuretic and antidiarrheal actions, as well as the fact that they can remove stones from the kidneys and bladder, thus improving the performance of the liver and kidneys [6; 7; 8; 9]. In addition, some species of the _Rosaceae_ family are officially referred to as herbal medicines in the pharmacopoeias of many countries like France, China, England and Germany, since they enhance myocardial contraction and conduction, protect against ischemia, have a calming effect by reducing oxidative stress, limit arrhythmia, improve the flow of coronary vessels and are effective for urogenital problems [9; 10].