The distinction is that between stimulus and sensation. The gum (or whatever) provides a stimulus; that is not transmitted. The direct consumer's sensory apparatus responds to the stimulus by forming and sending impulses to the brain, which receives them as sensations and then forms sense-perceptions. The sensations or perhaps the sense-perceptions are what is transmitted.
Thus, for example, a color-blind person might have the same sensation, when receiving light of two different frequencies, and the transmission would be the same though the light would be different.
People who could not smell aldehyde would transmit one response to cilantro gum; people who could smell it would transmit a different response.