The effect of cooking on the reduction of ochratoxin A (OA) content in beans(Phaseolus vulgarisL.), variety ‘Carioca’, was evaluated. Beans were placed in glass desiccators at 25°C in equilibrium with 90% relative humidity and inoculated with spore suspensions ofAspergillus alutaceusBerk. & Curt, (formerlyA. ochraceusWilh.) NRRL 3174, an ochratoxigenic strain. After 10 days, samples were taken, analysed for their OA content, and then cooked under pressure, with and without previous soaking. It was observed that cooking caused a substantial reduction in the levels of OA (up to 84%). This effect was even more pronounced when the bean grains were soaked in the water for 12h before cooking under pressure, at 115°C, for 45 min.