Step 1: Fructose is a ketohexose. On reduction, the carbonyl group (C=O) is reduced to an alcohol.
Step 2: Reduction of fructose gives two hexitols: sorbitol and mannitol.
Step 3: Sorbitol and mannitol differ in configuration at one chiral carbon (C-2).
⟹ They are epimers and hence diastereomers