The goal of the study was to estimate various microbial loads in anthocyanin-CMC based edible film coated chicken slices in refrigeration storage using fluorescein di-acetate (FDA, 3', 6'-diacetyl-fluorescein) hydrolysis assay. The samples were analyzed for various microbiological parameters using conventional plate count method and compared with FDA hydrolysis. Refrigerated (4±1°C) meat samples were analyzed up to 30 days for each 5 days interval. Significant (P<0.01) increase in FDA hydrolysis values were noticed in refrigeration storage condition both for control and treatments. Total plate count (TPC), pseudomonas count, psychrophilic count and Staphylococcus spp. count were increased significantly (P<0.01) in refrigerated storage condition for both control and treatments. FDA hydrolysis showed significant (P<0.01) positive correlation with all the microbial parameters and highest degree of association was noticed between FDA and TPC (r = 0.97).