Fruit ferments containing propionate and use thereof

A method to prepare a fruit ferment containing propionic acid and/or a salt thereof comprising:

• i) providing a fruit being an edible, seed-associated structure and obtaining a liquid fruit preparation therefrom having a sugar level of from 1.5 to 10% (w/w) and an initial pH of from 4.5 to 7;
• and
• ii) fermenting the liquid fruit preparation with a propionic acid-producing bacterial strain whilst supplementing the liquid fruit preparation with water during fermentation and maintaining the pH between 4.5 and 7 during fermentation by the addition of a base selected from sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide, calcium carbonate and ammonium carbonate;
• wherein
• one or more strains of lactic acid producing bacteria are supplementarily used in the fermenting of the liquid fruit preparation, and
• the fermentation of the liquid fruit preparation is a process that is carried out for a period of from 20 to 120 hours and said process is substantially devoid of microorganisms other than said propionic acid-producing bacterial strain and said one or more strains of lactic acid producing bacteria.