The foul odor reported by dozens of homeowners in Crofton and Gambrills on Wednesday was the result of “over-odorization” of natural gas and not a gas leak, Baltimore Gas and Electric said Thursday.

Mercaptan, a chemical with a smell that’s been likened to rotten cabbage, is added as a safety measure to lines so that customers can more easily detect gas leaks, BGE officials said.

“In this instance, too much mercaptan was added, causing the odor reported throughout the area,” said Jane Ballentine, a BGE spokesperson.

Ballentine said staffers responded to more than 400 reports of gas odor in the Crofton and Gambrills area of Anne Arundel County, conducting a thorough check of residents’ homes. Crews found a few minor leaks on joints near a meter and leaks from customer equipment, which technicians recommended for repair.

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But they stressed a gas leak was not the source of the odor.

“BGE has isolated and shut down the section of pipe where the over-odorization occurred,” the utility said. “We are investigating the cause of the excess odorant and will take additional steps to prevent a recurrence.”

Michael Mayo, a spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, said Wednesday evening that crews had responded to more than 60 calls for service about gas odors over three hours. By the end of the day, that number swelled to about 110 calls, officials said Thursday. Most of the calls came from Crofton in the western part of the county, though fire officials said they hadn’t located any leaks after reviewing the inside and outside of homes.

This article has been updated.