Grated cassava to which tap water was added at levels of 25%, 50% and 75% (v/w) was held at 30°C, 40°C or 50°C and examined over a 6h period for cyanide content, pH and titratable acidity (TTA). During the come‐up time, i.e. the time between addition of water and attainment of desired holding temperature (between 14 and 47 min), reductions in bound cyanide ofca54–85% occurred, depending on the level of added water and holding temperature. The corresponding losses for the control samples, to which no water was added, wereca25–33%. The biggest reduction in the bound cyanide of >99% (from 89.0 to 0–6 ppm) occurred in grated cassava with 75% added water held at 50°C. There was little or no change in pH during the period of study. The reduction of processing time for certain cassava products based on separation into detoxication and flavour development/fermentation stages is discussed.