The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) pursues a ‘good food’ policy mainly based on recommendations and guidelines prepared by the Health Council of the Netherlands. VWS is responsible for health policy and safety of food of non-animal origin and prepares draft legislation in this area. VWS bases risk management measures on risk assessments conducted by the Office for Risk Assessment and Research (BuRO), an independent unit within the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). The VWS portfolio includes food supplements, novel foods, mineral water, drinking water, botanicals, residues of plant protection products and veterinary medicinal products and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the food of non-animal origin segment. Its area of work extends beyond the field of food safety to cosmetics and consumer products.