Hard candy which includes at least one acidic component and which shows improved transparency is made by forming a liquid starting material comprising at least one sugar alcohol which is not a monosaccharide sugar alcohol, water, and the acidic component; heating under conditions at which the acidic component does not cause significant hydrolysis of the sugar alcohol to dissolve the acidic component in the liquid and remove at least part of the water; and cooling to form the hard candy. The product has a transmission of: at least 47.8% at 450mnm; and/or at least 50.9% at 550nm; and/or at least 52.3% at 650nm.