Federal inspectors observed the violations during a December 18 dinner preparation at the facility's kitchen. The worker placed food containers directly on top of cutting boards and knives, then removed them to chop vegetables and cooked chicken without cleaning the surfaces.
At 5:17 PM, the worker removed containers and began chopping vegetables and chicken on the contaminated cutting board. Two minutes later, he placed a sauce container back on the cutting knife blade, served sauce over the food, then returned the container to the heating cart without sanitizing the utensils.
The cross-contamination continued when the worker placed a drinking straw on the same cutting board, filled a cup with liquid food, and served it to a resident. He later used the flat surface of the contaminated knife to cut cooked noodles and chicken breast, then scooped the food directly onto resident plates for service.
Inspectors observed no cleaning or sanitization of the cutting board and knife during the entire 42-minute meal preparation period.
When questioned, the worker said containers are cleaned before use and claimed he wasn't cross-contaminating surfaces. He acknowledged the containers could have been placed elsewhere but said avoiding the cutting board "is not what he normally does."
The facility's Kitchen Manager confirmed the worker should have placed containers on countertops instead of cutting surfaces. He said the cutting board and knife should have been cleaned and sanitized after containers were placed on them.
Inspectors also found dust accumulation on dish drying racks that hadn't been cleaned in some time. Kitchen staff told inspectors they were focusing on refrigerator racks first and should have cleaned the drying racks much earlier.
The violations affected multiple residents and created potential for foodborne illness through contaminated food preparation surfaces.
Full Inspection Report
The details above represent a summary of key findings. View the complete inspection report for Terraces of Boise, The from 2025-12-19 including all violations, facility responses, and corrective action plans.